


Apple of my Eye

by bamby0304



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - The French Mistake (Supernatural) Fusion, Angst, Drama, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2019-09-15 13:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 43,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16933815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bamby0304/pseuds/bamby0304
Summary: When Sam and Dean were pulled back into their world, you were left behind. Stuck in the hustle bustle of Hollywood life, you have no choice but to play along, leaving almost all of your old life behind. Seven years later when a rip in time and space opens up, you are finally able to go home… but you don’t go alone.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Each chapter will have its own warnings.

**_Warnings_ : Angst. Hospital. Explicit language.**

**Bamby**

You thought being pulled into an alternate universe where your life was actually a TV show was bad. No, that was nothing compared to what happened next.

Fighting Virgil with Sam and Dean, you hadn’t stood a chance when you met the angel’s strength full force. He sent you flying across the fake motel room and through the fake walls, skidding along the floor. You’d groaned and winced, feeling the very real pain as you tried to pull yourself up.

Eventually you managed, but it was too late.

Something, some force, grabbed Dean and Sam. Sitting there, on the floor, you had no choice but to watch as they were pulled through the fake window of the fake motel room. Only… they didn’t reappear. They didn’t pop up from behind the wall. They just… disappeared.

Then the world had spun, and before you knew it you were out cold.

* * *

When you woke you were in the hospital. But it quickly came apparent that something was very off. All the chaos and murder that had happened at the studio… it was as if none of it happened. Even Misha was alive again. Virgil was gone… along with Sam and Dean.

Instead you were left with Jared and Jensen, two strangers with familiar faces.

“Hey,” De- no, Jensen. Jensen smiled as he reached over to grab you hand that rested on the bed.

You flinched away from him, not knowing the man who was showing you such kindness. He may look like Dean, but he was not Dean. You had to keep reminding yourself that.

“What happened?” you asked, hoping to get some useful information you could use. Anything that might help you get back home.

But there was this gut feeling inside you that was shovelling more and more doubt into your heart.

“Accident on set,” Jared explained, voice a little gentler than Sam’s. “You got dizzy and passed out. Scared the hell out of Bob.”

Bob… not your Bobby. This one was your boss, not the man who’d practically raised you.

Jared went on, not noticing the pain that flashed across your face. “You know you could have told us,” he noted, confusing you.

Frowning, you looked to the two of them, seeing betrayal in their eyes. “Told you what?”

“They’re not going to fire you, if that’s what you’re worried about. We won’t let them,” Jensen assured you.

Nodding, Jared added, “We’ll go with you when you tell them, if you want.”

“Tell them what?” you asked, confusion growing into panic.

You had no idea what they were going on about. This wasn’t your life. These weren’t your friends. Whatever they were talking about had nothing to do with you. This was some famous actress’ life. A woman who wore your face, but that’s as far as your resemblance went. She was not you, and you were not her. You were Y/N, not this Emmalee girl.

“Jen… she might not know,” Jared mumbled to his best friend- who was _not_ his brother.

It dawned on Jensen then that his friend might be right. Still holding your hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Emma… you’re pregnant.”

Everything went cold, because you knew, in that moment, you were totally screwed. Emmalee wasn’t pregnant… you were. This was your body, now. Your life. Your pregnancy. Your baby. At least it was going to be until you could get back to your life.

That’s what you thought, until Jensen continued.

“You never told us you were seeing someone.”

_Fuck…_

If… if this Emmalee girl wasn’t seeing anyone… if she hadn’t slept with anyone… maybe she wasn’t pregnant. Maybe it was yours. If it was, there was only one person who could be the father.

With wide eyes, you looked to Jensen.

_Fuck._

You were pregnant. You were pregnant with Dean’s baby. You were pregnant with Dean’s baby and you were stuck in an alternate universe.

_Fuck!_

**Bamby**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Warnings_ : Fluff. Angst. But mostly fluff.**

**Bamby**

“Dakota, if you’re not down here in ten seconds you’re not getting any dessert when we get home!” you called as you fixed up your earrings in the hallway mirror.

Your outfit was something you’d gotten used to over time. A grey bodycon dress that hang a couple of inches above your knee and had long sleeve. Black suede ankle boots, bangles, earrings, a $300 haircut. You’d gone from saviour to celebrity.

Turning, about to yell out again, you were stopped by the sound of small thumping feet hurrying down the stairs. Sure enough, your seven year old daughter came bounding around the corner.

One look at her and you couldn’t help but laugh. She was dressed in a pastel pink tutu with her pink and white flannel top and pink cowgirl boots. Her blonde waves bounced on her shoulders and swayed around her as she hopped, skipped and jumped about.

“What on earth are you wearing?” you asked as you crouched down to her level, still laughing lightly.

Beaming brightly, she hurried over to you. “Uncle Mish said tonight was special, that I had to wear my best clothes.” She did a twirl, showing off her tutu. “Don’t I look pretty?”

Eyes crinkling as you smiled at her, you nodded. “Beautiful.”

She stopped twirling, then, reaching to cup your face with both of her hands. “You’re beautiful, too, mummy.”

Unable to wipe the smile from your face, you stood to your full height and grabbed her hand before moving to the door. You walked side by side with your daughter as you left your apartment, locking the door behind you before continuing on.

Dakota pressed the button in the elevator with her childish pazaz before she made sure to look at herself in all the mirrors that lined the walls. She skipped out of the lift and ran her hand along the marble walls as she smiled and waved at the security guards at the front desk and then the door man. Once outside she was sprinting, jumping at the big burly man who stood by the waiting car.

“Cliffy!” she squealed, giggling as he lifted her off the ground and hung her over his shoulder so she was upside down, playfully punching at his back.

Chuckling at the pair, you followed as he set your daughter into the car, holding the door open for you. Without a word, just a polite nod, you slid in to join her. The door closed, and you waited a moment before Cliff settled himself behind the wheel and started down the road.

“Jen and Jay know we’re running late, right?” you asked, feeling guilty that you weren’t going to make it on time.

But Cliff was right there, reassuring you that everything was fine. “I sent Genevieve a message as soon as you called me. They know. You don’t have to worry.”

Relief flooded you, washing away most of your guilt. But not all of it. Some always remained.

See, for seven years you’d lived this life. You’d lived a life that wasn’t yours. Being forced into a body that resembled yours but into a life that was completely foreign was one of the hardest things you had to do. Even harder than giving birth to Dakota.

Emmalee Hyde was a successful actress. She was a star- though nowhere near as big as Jensen or Jared- on the hit show _Supernatural_. She had a resume that listed dozens of films and shows that were big hits. She was talented, and loved, and not you.

But you had to play the part.

It had been hard at first. You were a hunter. You lived a rough life. You weren’t used to people being so willing to give you everything and anything you might need or want. You found sleeping on the floor in your high end apartment more comfortable than the king sized bed that sat in a room that was bigger than Bobby’s study and kitchen put together.

Life had changed over the seven years you’d been stuck in this magic-less world. You’d changed.

It took three months for you to realise finding a way back home had to be your second priority. You were pregnant. Things had to change. Your daughter was the most important person in your life. Her needs came first. She came first. So, if that meant giving up the life you knew and the person you’d once been, then so be it. You would do anything for her…

“Cliffy?” Dakota’s singsong voice called through your train of thought. He looked up to meet her eyes in the rearview mirror. “Can we listen to _Big Balls_?”

When he turned to you to make sure, you nodded, unable to keep yourself from chuckling as you reached over to run your fingers through your daughter’s hair.

 _Big Balls_ was just one of her favourite songs. She loved everything and anything AC/DC. She loved Led Zeppelin. Metallica, too. Anything she could rock out to, she loved. Of course, you weren’t surprised, considering who her father was.

For the rest of the drive you watched her with a fond smile. She danced on the spot, kicking out her legs and punching the air as the song played over and over and over. She laughed as she sang along with the chorus, having the time of her life. Hair swinging about, eyes sparkling, she looked completely and absolutely happy.

Your pain, your loss… it was worth it. You would suffer in silence if it meant watching her shine.

* * *

Walking into Jared and Gen’s house was always a whirlwind of non-stop energy. You were greeted by the couple, all smiles and hugs and warmth. Then you were flanked by their sons and Jensen’s daughter, who would then drag Dakota away to play.

Jensen and his wife, Danneel, were in the living room, sipping drinks and chatting away with a few other guests including Misha and his wife. As soon as they saw you there were more hugs, smiles and so much warmth.

You never held onto Jensen too long.

He was Dean, but he wasn’t. Being so close to him, but not at the same time… even after all this time it hurt.

Once everyone was hugged and drinks were served you settled into the couch, content to just sit back and watch.

People commented on how much you’d changed since falling pregnant. They noted that you were quieter, more reserved. Little did they know, you were a completely different person. Keeping to yourself was a coping mechanism you still needed even after all these years. Even though these people had gone from strangers to friends and then family soon after.

Before you, Dean and Sam had been shoved into this world, Jensen and Jared hadn’t been talking, but when you ended up in the hospital, things cleared up for them. Their friend’s health was more important than whatever drama was keeping them apart. Which was good, because that meant you had something that resembled the family you had back in your real life. But it also hurt, because they weren’t what you really wanted.

Life goes on, though, so you took what you could get. You continued to work on Supernatural, blaming the pregnancy on your sudden lack of talent. That gave you some time to learn how to pretend to be a woman who pretended to be you professionally.

Honestly, working on set was the closest you ever got to feeling like yourself because it was the only time you could be yourself. Once Dakota was born and you were ready to get back to work, you found you’d missed it. You didn’t miss the money or having someone at your beck and call. You missed being able to be yourself, even if only for a moment or two.

“Uncle Jen!” Dakota came flying around the corner, hurrying over to Jensen with a wide smile before she collided into his leg.

Watching the two of them together was bittersweet.

She looked so much like him, like Dean… with those gorgeous green eyes that sparkled with mischief, and freckles that speckled her face like constellations. As she grew up, some people speculated that Jensen and you might have had an affair, but Jensen swore up and down that he’d never slept with Emmalee and you believed him wholeheartedly. Not that his words really meant anything, considering you knew who her father was.

Dean would have been a great father. He would have adored her in all the ways Jensen adored his daughter. Justice Jay Ackles was just a year or so younger than Dakota, and absolutely cherished by her father. It killed you to see him look at your daughter with love that didn’t quite reach the intensity Dean would have for her.

“Can JJ have a sleepover tonight? _Please_ ,” she begged him, tugging on his jeans.

Justice hurried around the corner then, coming to stop by her best friend. “Please daddy, please!”

Smiling down at the two, Jensen paused a moment before looking to you. “Maybe next weekend?” he asked you. “We’re going out to see Uncle Gino tomorrow,” he reminded his daughter.

The girls were a little disappointed that they had to wait for their sleepover, but the anticipation was already making them giddy with excitement. You laughed as they jumped up and down for a moment before hurrying out of the room, already planning what they wanted to do next weekend.

“We can take her next weekend,” Jensen offered as he took a seat next to you on the couch.

You shook your head, smiling sweetly at him. “That’s okay. I wouldn’t mind the extra company.”

He sighed, giving you a pointed look. “You never let Dakota sleep at ours. You know we’d take care of her, right?”

“Of course!” you exclaimed, scurrying to back track and fix your mistake. “I know you and Dani would take great care of her. I just… I hate being alone,” you tried to explain.

In the seven years you’d been stuck in this world you’d rarely spent a second alone. Most of the time you tried to be as close to your daughter. There were fears, concern. You had no idea if you would blink one day and she’d be gone. The rest- the fame, money, apartment, friends, job- could fade away and you’d be fine. But if you lost her you’d lose yourself. So you kept her close.

Jensen seemed to understand, giving you a short nod before he pushed himself off the couch. “Just know, if you ever need a break, we’re happy to have her for a night or so.”

Smiling politely still, you watched him without a word as he walked off to join his wife once more.

For the rest of the night you stayed seated on the couch. People came by to talk or just join you, but other than that nothing really happened. You were content, happy to sit and watch as you sipped on your wine. By the time ten o’clock rolled by, Dakota came over with a sweet smile and sleepy eyes. You knew the night was over with just one look at her.

“Come on.” You gathered her up into your arms as you stood from the couch. “We’re gonna head off guys,” you told Jen and Jay as you walked passed them.

Jared smiled widely as he reached over to ruffle Dakota’s hair. “It was good seeing you again, Kota.”

When she didn’t respond, you gave her a little jostle. “What do you say?”

“Thank you for having us uncle Jay,” she mumbled, resting her head on your shoulder.

Chuckling lightly, you said your goodbyes and promised to call Jensen tomorrow about next weekend’s sleepover. Then you were out the door and in the car, holding your daughter in your lap as Cliff drove the two of you home.

* * *

Dakota was clinging to you like a monkey as you walked towards your apartment. Legs hanging on either side of your waist, arms wrapped around your waist, head resting on your shoulder, she clung. She hummed, too, some Led Zeppelin song that tugged at your heart.

Juggling her and your keys, you managed to open the front door to your apartment and step inside before closing and locking the door again. You were busy fumbling with the keys when your daughter’s head lifted off your shoulder.

“You left the kitchen light on,” she mumbled.

Frowning, knowing you hadn’t left any light on, you turned. Sure enough, coming from the direction of the kitchen, you could see a bright golden glow. In an instant you knew it wasn’t coming from any light bulb.

Letting Dakota slide down until her feet were planted firmly on the ground, you grabbed her hand and disposed of the your keys on the table by the front door before you cautiously started forward. Keeping your daughter behind you, you took tentative steps towards the glowing light. Rounding the corner you came to a complete stop as you found the source of the light.

In the middle of your kitchen was a bright floating line as if something had ripped through the air. Ripped through the universe.

Watching the glowing line, you jumped back a little, pushing Dakota further behind you as a young man stepped through the rip and into your kitchen. He looked around, confused at first, before his eyes settled on you. Recognition flashed through his eyes in an instant.

“Y/N?”

Your heart fluttered and ached at the same time. It had been _so long_ since someone had called you that. Not just pretending or acting like when you were at work, but actually calling _you_ that.

But none of that kept you from straightening up as you eyed the guy cautiously. Was he friend, or was he foe? You didn’t know. But he was here, in your kitchen, and that had you on edge. He was a stranger, which meant he was a threat.

“Mummy,” Dakota whimpered, moving closer to hug at your leg.

Her small voice caught the guy’s attention, drawing his eyes to her.

“Who are you?” you demanded, using a voice you saved for when you were on set these days.

Turning back to you, he answered, “My name is Jack. I… I was looking for Mary but…” He was stumbling over his words, clearly confused. “I’m still not used to my powers,” he noted as he looked down at his hands.

In that moment you knew. After seven years of waiting you knew. Finally, you were going home.

But with the opportunity in front of you now, suddenly you weren’t sure. Did you want to go? What was waiting for you on the other side of that rip? Could you step through and pick up where you left off? Could you change your life all over again… and drag your daughter along?

“You have to come with me,” Jack broke through your thoughts. He turned, looking to the rip in the air. “It won’t be open for long. You have to come quickly.”

“How do I know I can trust you? What… what if I don’t…” _What if I don’t want to go?_

You had a life here. You had friends, family. Your daughter’s life was here. Everything she knew, everything she had, it was all here. You might not belong, you’d known that since you landed in this weird magic-less universe… but this was her home. How could you take her from that?

A tug on your dress had you turning to look down at your daughter. As soon as you did, you met her green eyes, and that’s when your mind was made up.

“Go pack a bag, sweetie.”

**Bamby**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Warnings_ : Angst. Tiny bit of fluff. More angst.  
**

**Bamby**

When you landed in your home universe, you were surprised to find yourself stepping into a stingy motel. You were even more surprised to see no one else around. Then your surprise turned to fear, which quickly had you turning on the young man.

Thinking it had all been a trap, feeling like an idiot for bringing your daughter through the rip, you turned to run back. But the door through the universes closed before you could reach it. That’s when you turned on Jack.

You threatened and yelled, feeling a lot of your old self coming out from hiding as you grabbed his shirt and demanded he tell you where he’d brought you and your daughter. It took less than two second before he assured you everything was fine. You didn’t fully believe it, but when he offered to take you to Dean and Sam you relented.

For now, you’d trust him.

Apparently… Jack was a nephilim. That’s what he told you when you asked where his car was. He didn’t know how to drive, but you didn’t want to go jumping all over the place with your daughter. She was scared and confused, and you knew letting a nephilim zap you from one place to another was just going to make it worse.

So you stole a car.

Dakota was strapped in the back, her bag and yours on the seat next to her. She’d brought a pillow and teddy bear as well, both of which she’d clung to once the car started. She was out cold now.

“Where am I going?” you asked Jack as you kept your eyes on the road. It had been a while since you’d had to drive yourself around.

“Lebanon, Kansas,” he answered simply.

Your gaze flickered over to him for a moment, noticing the way he held himself much like an innocent child would.

“How did you find me?”

“Sam and Dean lost their mother. I was trying to return her to them. I was using their pain to guide me. I haven’t opened a rip on purpose before. I was surprised when it worked,” he told you, that innocence leaking into his words.

You frowned, wondering how strong this kid was. “You were trying to bring their mother back? Mary?”

“Yes.” He gave a short nod. “She’s stuck in another universe as well.”

“So… she’s alive?”

It was becoming clearer that your absence in this universe but your recurrence in the show had shaken the balance. The life the brothers led on _Supernatural_ seemed to be different to the one in this world.

“Yes.” Another short nod.

“And you were trying to find Mary but you found me instead?”

“Dean feels a lot of pain. He’s suffered a lot of loss. I thought it would lead me to their mother. Instead it brought me to you.” Jack looked to you then. “He’s missed you.”

Grip on the steering wheel tightening, you fought the onslaught of emotions that welled in your chest at that comment. Right now was not the time to break down. Now was not the time to be distracted. You had to get to Sam and Dean first. Then you could ask all the questions… and freak out.

* * *

Jack was more than happy to carry Dakota’s pillow and bag. You left your things in the car, choosing to carry your sleeping daughter instead. Holding her also had a selfish purpose. You could hide behind her if things became too much. You could smell the fruity shampoo in her hair to remind yourself that she was still real. You could look into her eyes and assure yourself that this was all for the greater good.

Taking the lead, Jack lead you into a large industrial looking building. It put your nerves on edge, but you followed, trusting that you could still kick butt if need be.

He lead you down some stairs and through a door, which brought you to a large art deco space. You were on the second landing, looking towards library that appeared to be full of books and a few antique weapons. Before that sat another room, though your couldn’t see it properly from where you stood.

Now that you were inside, taking in the expanse of the area in front of you, most of you worries washed away. There was a warmth to the place that set you at ease, promising nothing but safety.

“Cas?”

You froze in an instant, that warmth wavering at the sound of a familiar voice.

Jack smiled as he moved closer to the railing so he could look down into the room below you. “Hello.”

“Jack?” two voices asked simultaneously.

Setting Dakota on the ground, making sure she was awake enough to stand, you then gave her a look that told her to stay before you turned. You stepped forward, putting yourself next to Jack so you could look down into the room below as well, and froze once more.

There they were.

Sam and Dean. They looked so much like Jared and Jensen, but at the same time they didn’t. They were distinctively themselves. There was no pretending, no acting. They were completely and absolutely Sam and Dean Winchester.

Jaws dropped and eyes went wide as the brothers look from the nephilim to you. Dean seemed to be frozen on the spot, but Sam managed to move. He pushed himself out of the seat he’d been sitting on, and away from the glowing table that had a lit up map on it. He stood, rising to his full height as he continued to gawk at you with nothing but shock.

Then it all changed as he suddenly reached for a gun and aimed it at you. “Who are you?” he demanded, voice harder than Jared’s.

You flinched, knowing the gun in his hand wasn’t some prop. It was an actual weapon that could literally kill you.

Before anyone else could react, Jack jumped into front of you protectively. “No!” He shook his head frantically. “It’s okay. She’s okay. It’s really her,” he assured them.

Looking passed Jack’s shoulder, you looked down at Sam, seeing him hesitate.

“Mummy.” Dakota stepped up to you then, wrapping her arm around your leg as she looked down at Sam and Jensen sleepily. “Are we staying with Uncle Jen and Jay tonight?” she asked innocently, closing her eyes and resting her head on your thigh.

Sam’s hand dropped as soon as he saw your daughter. Dean, though, tensed at the sight of her. They both flinched as you reached down to stroke her hair.

“Yeah sweetie.” You nodded, keeping you eyes on the brothers as you went on, “We’re staying here tonight.”

Jack gave you a sweet smile as he gestured for you to follow. You lifted your daughter into your arms before heading down the winding stairs, right behind the nephilim. You kept your eyes on the ground, watching your step and avoiding the brothers’ gazes at the same time. You refused to look up, even when you stopped beside Jack by the glowing table.

“Ho… how?” Sam managed. “Why? When? What?” When you glanced up you saw him shaking his head, unable to process what was right in front of him.

“I brought her back,” Jack stated simply. “I was looking for your mother, but-”

“You brought her back?” Sam asked, shocked, confused and impressed all in one.

Jack simply nodded in response.

The room fell silent as the brother continued to stare. You focused on your daughter in your arms, stroking her hair as you rocked her gently. Her tired eyes struggled to stay open as she rested her head on your shoulder, drifting in and out of sleep.

“Do you have a place we can crash?” you asked, finally meeting Sam’s eyes. You couldn’t look at Dean. Shifting Dakota to your hip, you gestured to her bag and pillow Jack was still carrying. “We had a big night before all of this. She could really use some sleep,” you noted as the nephilim handed you her things.

“Of course.” Sam cleared his throat, glancing at his brother for the briefest of seconds before he nodded to a nearby hallway. “There’s plenty of space.”

Following him, you didn’t turn back as Sam lead you down the hall. You could feel Dean watching though, his gaze not wavering once. His eyes stayed glued to your back until you disappeared around a corner.

As he continued to lead you down the hall, Sam struggled. You could tell he was trying to come up with words. He had questions, of course, that was to be expected. But you also expected shocked silence. It had been so long, so much would have happened and changed. Where do you start?

“Uh… here.” He came to stop by a door. “This one is free. We’ve… we’ve got more rooms…” He glanced at Dakota. “But I’m guessing you’d rather stay together?”

“Yes.” It really was as simple as that.

He gave a short but understanding nod, gesturing to the door. “It has a lock, if that makes you feel safer. Or… my room is just down the hall. Dean’s is a little further down,” he noted, shoving his hands in his pocket as he shifted on the spot uncomfortably. “We’re here if you need-”

“I know, S-” You had to pause for a moment as you looked up at him. He really was real… “I know, Sam.”

Smiling ever so slightly, he gave another nod and started back down the hall. He paused a few times, as if contemplating whether he should say more, but before he could make his mind up you walked into the room and set Dakota’s things on the ground before closing and locking the door behind you.

Inside this bedroom you could at least pretend nothing else existed. There was no Sam and Dean. There was no Jared and Jensen. In the room, just for a moment, you could concentrate on nothing but your daughter and yourself.

Still carrying Dakota, you moved towards the double sized bed in the middle of the room. You didn’t take note of anything else, wanting to put your daughter to bed before you took a mental inventory. Setting her on the left side, you them quickly headed back to where you’d dumped her things and grabbed her pillow. Inside the slip was her teddy, which you pulled out and handed to her outstretched and waiting hand. Even half asleep she was demanding.

“Come on. Lift.” You gestured to her head and waited until she did as you said. Taking the hard pillow out from under her, you replaced it with her own. “All good.” You nodded, watching as she plonked her head back down. “Boots now.”

Jack’s appearance had been sudden. You hadn’t been prepared for it. To make matters worse, he’d insisted that the rip in the air wouldn’t remain open for long, so you’d only had a brief amount of time to shove some things in a couple of bags before leaving. That meant Dakota was still in her tutu, white and pink flannel, and pink boots. It also meant you were still in your bodycon dress and stiletto ankle boots.

 _Great first impression on your old hunting buddies, Y/N._ You inwardly groaned.

Dakota gave you one foot, letting you take the boot off before she plopped that foot back onto the bed and gave you the other. Once her feet were bare she curled up, clutching her teddy to her chest. You smiled at her, reach for the blanket to pull over her.

Stepping back, you took a seat on the chair by the desk in the room and watched her. It took less than five minutes before she was out cold once more, snoring and mumbling lightly as her little nose twitched. You didn’t look away once, too scared that she might disappear if you did.

You stayed seated there all night, watching as she slept soundlessly, completely unaware of the confusion, danger and drama headed her way.

* * *

Sometime during the night you’d crawled onto the bed next to Dakota. You’d intended to rest a little, not sleep. You wanted to watch her, to keep an eye on her. This place… it was foreign, and that meant you weren’t ready to put your guards down just yet.

Unfortunately, you weren’t used to staying up all night like you used to be. Exhaustion took over and before you knew it you were fast asleep.

Your dreamed were filled with memories you’d long since buried. You spent the night running around in your head, remembering moments from your past life. Smiles, hugs, and friendships. Pain, loss and violence. Researching and driving. Bleeding and fighting. However long you were asleep, you sent that time drifting through your past like a bystander witnessing it all over again.

When you woke you felt… refreshed. You felt ready. You knew, as your eyes fluttered open and you looked up at the ceiling above you, that no matter what happened you were going to be able to handle it all.

All that came crashing down as you reached out beside you… only to find the other side of the bed empty.

**Bamby**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Warnings:_ Angst. Panic. An excessive amount of _Paw Patrol_ talk, but I mean she’s 6 people. And some fluff.**

**Bamby**

“Dakota.” You jumped out of bed and bolted for the door. It was unlocked and ajar, making your already frantic heart beat a little faster.

Hurrying out of the hallway, you followed your feet and started to run. You looked into any room that was unlocked, hoping to find your curious daughter somewhere. You hoped it was her curiosity that led her out of the room and not something more sinister.

This world wasn’t like the one she’d grown up in. She didn’t know that all the things you’d promised weren’t hiding in her closet were real in this place. There were bad people and bad things, and if things hadn’t changed from before you left then a lot of them probably hated you and definitely hated the Winchester.

Dakota wasn’t safe here.

As you continued to frantically search for you daughter you came to an abrupt stop at the sound of familiar giggling. Picking up the pace, you followed the sound until you came to an open door to another bedroom.

Inside, on the bed, sat your daughter and the nephilim. They were watching someone on the young man’s computer, bright colours flashing across their smiling faces.

Clearing your throat, calming yourself down, you stepped in. “Dakota?”

“Mummy!” She looked up at you and scurried off the bed before wrapping her arms around your legs. Putting her chin on your stomach, she beamed up at you. “Jack was letting me watch _Paw Patrol_ on his computer!”

“Really?” You reached down to stroke her hair as you glanced at the half angel before turning back to your daughter. “You didn’t wake me up.”

“You were sleeping,” she noted simply.

“But…” How were you supposed to tell her she needed to wake you up? How were you supposed to explain that you needed her to wake you because this place was too dangerous? “Next time wake me up, okay baby?” you asked, stroking her hair still.

“Okay Mummy.” She gave a short nod, still smiling. “Can we eat breakfast now? I’m hungry.” As if to prove her point, her stomach began to grumble then.

Unable to help yourself, you chuckled lightly before looking to Jack again. “You guys have a kitchen in this place?”

* * *

Dakota and Jack were seated at the table in the kitchen, watching more _Paw Patrol_. Your daughter insisted on being on the nephilim’s lap, smiling happily as she explained every detail of the show. You doubted he cared much about six rescue dogs, but he seemed content with the little girl.

You were at the stove, whipping up a batch of pancakes. There wasn’t a lot of food in the pantry and fridge, so you’d made some batter and got to cooking.

Heavy footsteps sounded down the hall, making you pause as Sam jogged around the corner, coming to a stop at the sight of you.

“Oh… morning…” He watched you cautiously, clearly having no idea how he was supposed to act.

“I’m making pancakes.” You smiled at him, hoping that if you acted as if everything was fine he’d do the same. “There’s plenty for everyone.”

Hesitantly, he stepped down into the kitchen, glancing at Jack and Dakota as he moved towards you. “Thanks.” He reached out to take one of the cooked ones. “Sorry there isn’t a lot to eat. We didn’t… we didn’t know we’d be having guests.”

“How could you?” You gave him a pointed look, getting back to cooking.

Your comment eased a little of the tension, making Sam chuckle lightly. “Yeah. You’re right. But we know now. You’re here now,” he noted, saying more with the words that weren’t said.

You were home now. You were back, and while that might cause complications and confusion, it was good to have you back.

“Uncle Jay!” Dakota squealed, having just noticed Sam.

Sam, having no idea what she was going on about, tensed at the squeal and looked to her with a raised and confused eyebrow. Your daughter didn’t notice, though, as she hurried off Jack’s lap and ran over to Sam. She wrapped her arms around his legs in a big hug, giggling as she did so.

Your heart broke a little as you looked down at the happy expression on your daughter’s face. She thought this man was someone she’d known her whole life. Little did she know, he was actually a stranger. Little did she know, he wasn’t just a fake uncle, he was her actual uncle.

“Wanna watch _Paw Patrol_ with me and Jack?” she asked, looking up at Sam with complete innocence and naivety. “Jack is my new friend. Do you know Jack?”

Looking down at her, Sam stuttered, stumbling on words that wouldn’t form. He was in shock, unsure of how he was supposed to react. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? He didn’t even know her.

“Okay, baby girl, grub time.” You stacked the last of the pancakes onto the plate that sat on the island bench. “Remember to share,” you reminded your daughter as you placed a few pancakes on a plate and handed it to her. “If you want more, they’re right here. We’re just going to go talk for a bit, ‘kay? You stay here with Jack.”

Giving a short nod, Dakota took the plate of pancakes. “Okay Mummy.” With that, she turned and headed back to the table and climbed onto Jack’s lap. As she stuffed her face with a pancake her eyes lit up at something on the computer screen. “Chase!” she exclaimed, giggling at the screen. “He’s always falling over like that.”

“Dakota,” you called to her. It took a second for her eyes to follow her head as she turned to look at you, pancake half hanging out of her mouth. When she did meet your gaze you gave her a pointed look. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, please.”

Sheepishly, she looked away, nodding with a smile before she turned back to the computer and her food.

Looking to Sam, you gave him a short nod before the two of you walked out of the room. He took the lead, walking through the hallway and up some steps until you were back at the room you’d first seen him and his brother last night. The table in the middle of the room, the one with the map of the world, was still glowing.

“So…” Sam turned to you, glancing over your shoulder as if making sure no one else was listening.

“So.” You nodded.

Rubbing at his neck, Sam sighed, “I don’t know where to start here.”

“I can take the lead, if that makes things easier?” you offered and he nodded. “Okay, so, the world Balthazar sent us to where there’s no magic? I’ve been stuck there.”

“For seven years?”

“Yep.”

“How… how… ho-”

You cut him off, not wanting to watch him struggle. “How did I survive?” He nodded again. “When you and Dean came back to this world everything kind of just changed over there. Everyone who was dead came back as if you, Dean and Virgil had never been there. But I was still stuck, in Emmalee’s life, so I played the part.”

“And they bought it?”

“Helps when you can blame any change of behaviour on your pregnancy.” You grinned, glancing over your shoulder and to the hallway you’d emerged from before.

“She thinks we’re those other guys, doesn’t she? She called me Uncle Jay,” he noted.

“Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles.” You looked to him again. “They’ve been there every step of the way. Since the day I found out I was pregnant. Hell, we were at Jared’s last night. They’re her family.”

“Are they yours?” he asked, making you flinch a little.

Being stuck in the other word had been hard for you. Emmalee’s family didn’t talk to her much, so cutting them off had been pretty easy. You could blame it on work, and busy schedules. You only had to see them a handful of times you’d been stuck over there. But the _Supernatural_ cast, however, we practically glued to your side. You hadn’t had a lot of options.

“I don’t want you to think I replaced you guys with some look-alikes,” you started. “I tried to find a way back. For the first three months I did nothing but try to get back. It got to the point where people thought I’d gone nuts. They were ready to put me in a ward,” you noted, grimacing at the memory of the concerned and scared look on Jared and Jensen’s face when they forced you to sit in an intervention. “Then I realised that there was a good chance I was going to be stuck over there for a very long time. I realised that me getting back here wasn’t my top priority anymore. She was.” You gestured to the hallway behind you.

Sam followed your gesture, knowing who and what you were talking about. Then he looked to you again, his eyes sad. “I never thought you’d replaced us. I just thought… Dean and I have had each other, I was hoping you had someone as well.”

“I did,” you assured him. “But none of it came close to what I had to leave behind. Everything I did, all the sacrifices, it was for her. I would do it all over again, I would suffer miserably all over again, if it means she’s happy… and safe.”

You didn’t want to say it outright, not yet, but something had to be sad. This world was a lot different from the one Dakota had grown up in. There were monsters here. Ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves, demons and angels. Things that could and would hurt her. It was a different world, and she wasn’t prepared for it.

“Morning.”

You spun around and came face to face with green eyes that looked so much like your daughter’s.

Dean stepped up into the room, moving towards you and his brother. His eyes were only on you though, a look of hesitance and uncertainty on his face.

“Hi,” you breathed as he came to stop in front of you, a step or so separating the two of you.

Falling silent, Sam stayed completely still as he looked at everything and anything other than you and his brother. Dean, though, was completely transfixed by you. His intense gaze never wavered as he took in every inch of you, eyes wandering over your body like he was taking inventory of all the changes and differences from before.

All control fell from your grasp as you stood there, looking at those green eyes you’d seen a million times during the last seven years. But Jensen had _never_ looked at you the way Dean was looking at you.

“You look like you didn’t sleep all night,” you noted taking a small step closer, taking in the dark rings around Dean’s eyes.

He watched you move in that little bit closer, his gaze coming up to meet yours. “Can you blame me?”

“Mum!” Dakota came hurrying into the room then, a wide smile on her face.

You reacted out of instinct, crouching down to pick her up as she bounded towards you. “What happened to _Paw Patrol_ and pancakes?” you asked her as you turned away from the brothers, walking a few steps away,

“There’s no syrup for the pancakes.” She pouted, resting her head on your shoulder. “Does Uncle Jay or Uncle Jen have any?”

Sighing, you glanced over to the brothers as they watched you and your daughter carefully. You knew you were going to have to tell the truth. You were going to have to explain everything, to everyone. Better to nip it in the bud.

“Honey, this isn’t Uncle Jay and Jen,” you started, nodding to the Winchesters.

Dakota froze in your arms, confusion washing over her face. She turned to whisper in your ear, “Then who is it?”

“This is Sam and Dean, some of Mummy’s old friends. They just look like Jared and Jensen, but they’re different,” you noted, looking to her. “You remember how I used to tell you stories about my friends who saved the world?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, resting her head on your shoulder, suddenly a little shy.

“Well, that’s them.” You gestured to the brothers. “That’s Sam,” you pointed to the younger but taller one. “He loves salad and running.”

“Weird,” she mumbled.

You chuckled, nodding. “I know. But he’s really nice. He loves animals, and he recycles. He’s really good at reading. He’s _very_ smart.”

“He recycles? Like Rocky from _Paw Patrol_?”

“Exactly.” You gave a sharp nod. “And that guy,” you gestured to Dean next, “he’s Sam’s older brother.”

Frowning, she looked to the two of them, not understanding something. “But he’s shorter. How can he be older if he’s shorter?”

“Sam eats all his vegetables, Dean doesn’t,” you explained simply, knowing it was just one of those things you couldn’t really answer. It’s not like that lie would hurt her.

“What does Dean eat?”

“Burgers. Lots of them. And fries. And jerky. And pizza. And bacon. But he _loves_ pie the most.”

With a gasp she jumped a little, pulling back to look at you with excited eyes. “I love pie, too!”

“I know.” You smiled at her. “Tell ya what, if you go eat some more pancakes I’ll take you out to get some syrup later, and if you’re good we’ll get some pie.”

“Can we make it? Your pies always taste better.”

“Sure.” You gave a sharp nod as you lowered her back to the ground. “But only if you eat your breakfast, ‘kay?”

“Okay.” She beamed, spinning on her heels to hurrying back to the kitchen.

You and the brothers watched her as she disappeared around the corner. Once she was gone there was a pause before both Sam and Dean turned to you. Just one look and you could see the million or so questions floating in their brains, but before they could open their mouths you were backing up.

“Jack said my stuff is still in the car and it’s still parked outside, so I’m gonna go grab some things and then get ready. We’ll head out to do a little bit of shopping in a bit,” you told them before heading off, not wanting to dig yourself a hole by answering all their questions.

There was one that was bound to be asked, and you absolutely feared… who was Dakota’s father?

**Bamby**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Warnings:_ Angst. Panic attack. Mentions of death and loss. Bit of fluff.**

**Bamby**

Considering you didn’t know your way around Lebanon, the brothers decided to take you out to the shops. Jack tagged along as well, sliding into the back of the Impala with you and Dakota.

Seeing the Impala had tugged at your heart. Sure, there was the one on set, but it was nothing like the real deal. You’d ran your hand along the leather interior the whole time Dean drove. You barely paid attention to Dakota as she rambled.

Dean hadn’t bothered putting music on, because she wouldn’t stop talking. Now that she knew these men weren’t the men she knew, she had to tell them every little detail of her life. From things the two of you did at home, to everything she got up to at school. She beamed up at you every once and awhile, showing everyone just how much you meant to her. You would return the look, smiling at her enthusiasm, knowing nothing could make you happier than her happiness.

At the store, you were rolling the shopping cart around while Dakota, Jack and Sam went about, picking up some things and dumping them in the cart. Sam was grabbing essentials, while Dakota insisted on all the junk food. Jack didn’t seem to know what he wanted, so he just followed your daughter around, a curious but pleased look on his face.

Considering Jack looked like he was in his early twenties, it was weird to see him act so innocently. It was almost like he was younger than Dakota.

“What kind of pie are we making, Mum?” Dakota asked as she spun around in the middle of the aisle.

You shrugged, rolling the cart to a stop. “What kind do you want?”

“Berry,” she and Dean answered at the same time.

Freezing on the spot, Dean looked at her with wide eyes. Sam turned at that moment as well, looking from his brother to your daughter with growing suspicion. Dakota, on the other hand, just giggled as she hurried over to Dean.

Reaching for him, she grabbed his and started pulling him away from you and the cart. “Come on! Let’s go get some stuff for pizza, too.” She beamed up at him as the two of them walked down the aisle.

Dean was helpless to her little hand that was grasping his. He stumbled a little as she pulled him along, but otherwise he went willingly, only turning back to look at you once. Your heart swelled as you watched the two of them disappear.

Sam, forgoing whatever he’d been looking at, walked up to you then. “I was thinking, if you’re going to be sticking around we might need to get some things for her at the bunker.”

“Bunker?”

“The place Dean and I live in,” he explained. “It’s not exactly kid friendly. There’s no toys or anything. Might make her feel more welcome and at home if she has some stuff of her own.”

_Home._

You blinked at Sam as you realised the severity of your situation. It wasn’t just that you’d brought your daughter into this world with the intention of staying, but you also brought her in with no plan. Where were you going to live? How were you going to survive? What were you going to do with yourselves?

As you continued to stare at Sam, he quickly put the pieces together. “You don’t know if you’re staying.”

“It’s not that I don’t know, it’s just that I hadn’t thought about it,” you countered.

“Where else are you going to go?”

“Bobby’s?” You shrugged, falling into old habits. He was always the person you turned to when things got bad or hard.

Sam’s eyes went wide before his face fell. “Bobby… he’s… he passed away, Y/N.”

Your world started to implode with that simple statement.

Breathing was impossible. Just in a blink of an eye you couldn’t breathe. Your head spun and your legs turned to jelly as everything around you tilted. You couldn’t… couldn’t breathe. Then you were falling.

“Whoa!” Sam was quick to catch you, holding you upright as he watched you carefully.

“I need air. I-I need-” You couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Everything was collapsing, everything was falling apart.

Bobby was gone. He was gone.

“Jack, go get Dean. Tell him I’ve just taken Y/N outside. Pay for the stuff and meet us at the car, okay?” Sam called, not waiting for a reply before he started leading you through the store and outside.

The second you felt the rush of fresh air on your face you collapsed onto the hood of the car in front of you. Luckily your palms slamming on the metal didn’t turn on any alarms as you stood there, trying to calm yourself. But everything was still spinning and tilting and going wrong.

“Come on.” Sam’s arm was around your waist as he continued to guide you away. You let him, not having the mental, emotional or physical strength to fight him in that moment.

He was careful as he walked the two of you across the carpark. There was a bench there, which is where he set you down. He sat next to you, keeping close, placing a hand on your back where he rubbed comforting circles. He didn’t speak, he just let you work it out, knowing that intervening could just mess things up.

Bobby was dead. The man that had raised you after your family had been killed… he was dead. Gone. You would never see him again. You never even got to say goodbye. He was dead.

“When?” you managed, hands shaking in front of you.

“Six years ago.”

“How?”

“He was shot, in the head, didn’t feel a thing,” he promised you.

“Who else? Who else have we lost?”

“Rufus. All the Campbells. Crowley. We’ve lost a lot, but you didn’t know them,” he assured you, pain laced in his voice.

You looked up at him, catching his sad smile. “How many times have you lost each other?”

“Too many.”

Sam and Dean had a tendency to die. A lot. You’d almost stopped worrying considering they came back every time. But you were never truly sure they’d come back. There was always that fear that the next time could be the last time.

“I’ve missed a lot, haven’t I?”

He chuckled lightly, though it didn’t feel as light as it sounded. He was just as affected by the news of all the people he’d lost. “Yeah, you have. But it looks like we’ve missed out, too,” he noted just as Jack, Dakota and Dean came out of the shops.

In an instant your eyes were on Dean. You could tell he wanted to come over and check on you, but he didn’t. Instead he focused on your daughter and the shopping, rolling the cart to Baby’s trunk. He would glance in your direction here and there, but he hid is worry well. You weren’t sure if he was trying to protect himself, you or Dakota, but either way he kept a blank face.

“Come on.” Sam gave your shoulder a squeeze before he stood up. “Let’s get some lunch and take Dakota to the park. Let her run around with Jack for a while. I think they’d like that.” She smiled down at you.

Nodding, you pulled yourself to your feet and followed him over to everyone else. Dakota and Jack were already in the car, laughing and talking about something. Sam and his brother shared a look before the former got into the passenger seat, leaving you with his older brother.

As soon as you were alone Dean stepped towards you, reaching out for you like he used to, as if the last seven years had never happened. His hand found yours, fingers intertwining with yours. Just one look into his green eyes and you felt all the reassurance and support you needed in that moment.

With a small smile, you let your hand fall from his grip before you climbed into the car.

* * *

You sat on a park bench as you watched Jack and Dakota play chase around the park. Sam and Dean were sitting with you, eating their burgers. Dakota had only wanted a few bites before she’d gotten too fidgety, so you’d let her go and play, insisting she eat the rest when you got back to the Bunker.

Sighing, you turned to the brothers. “You don’t mind if we stick around for a bit, do you?”

Dean coughed, choking on his food, clearly having not expected that question. Sam, on the other hand, played it a lot cooler, swallowing his food with a smile.

“Of course you can stick around. You and Dakota are welcome to stay at the bunker for as long as you want,” he assured you.

But you just smiled back at him, shaking you head. “Thanks, but I don’t think we’ll be in your hair for too long.”

Sam’s face fell. “Oh?”

“Yeah.” You shrugged, picking at your burger. “I thought… maybe I could take her to Sioux Falls. I know Bobby is gone, but I knew people there. It’s familiar. I’ve missed it,” you noted as you looked out to your daughter.

“Dakota,” Sam started, as if realising something in that moment. “You named her after South Dakota.”

Nodding, your lips tugged into a smile. “Everything good that ever happened to me happened in South Dakota. Living with Bobby. Learning to become a hunter. Meeting you guys. It’s my home.”

The brothers didn’t comment, and you didn’t say anything else. You just watched your daughter and Jack as Sam and Dean turned back to their food without a word. You took solace in the moment, but little did you know your comment had dug at a hole in the brothers’ chests. A hole that had been around since the moment you were left behind in the other world seven years again.

“Mummy!” Dakota exclaimed as she came running up to the table.

She moved to the spot next to Dean, climbing up beside him. He tensed a little, glancing down at her. She just looked up at him with a bright smile.

“Hungry?” you asked, pulling her wrapped burger out from the paper bag on the table. You didn’t need her to give you an answer, which is why you unwrapped it and placed it in front of her expectantly. Just as you assumed, she grabbed the food and took a bite.

You picked at your own stuff, happily watch her as she munched away. By the way she was shifting on the spot, you could tell she was swinging her legs back and forth. She looked from Dean to Sam and back, the oldest Winchester holding most of her attention.

“You got green eyes just like me,” she noted after swallowing her food.

Tensing ever so slightly, you subtly glanced at Dean and waited for his reaction. You weren’t sure if he’d guessed the truth yet, you weren’t really sure if you were ready for him to know everything. The last thing you wanted was for Dakota to say something that might click everything into place for either of the brothers.

Surprisingly, though, Dean just smiled down at her, and in an instant you heart was melting. “Yes I do,” he told her simply. “You like your burger?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, taking another bite.

“Bet you’d rather pie though, right?”

With a little more enthusiasm, she nodded again, smiling around her mouth full of food. There was a pause as she worked at chewing and swallowing before she responded, “Mummy makes the best pies! Has she ever made you one?”

“No.” He shook his head, still looking down at her fondly.

“Well, Mummy makes me pie for my birthday every year. She makes two pies, one to take to my party at Uncle Jay’s or Uncle Jen’s, and one for the two of us at home.”

“What about your dad? Doesn’t he like pie?” Dean asked suddenly, and your heart stopped.

Before you could cut in, Dakota was answering, “I don’t have a dad.”

**Bamby**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Warnings_ : Angst. Explicit language. Bit of fluff.**

**Bamby**

To say the car ride back to the Bunker was tense would be an understatement. After Dakota answered Dean’s innocent question, reality seemed to dawn on the brothers and each had looked to you knowingly and in shock. No one had said anything. You all just let Dakota finish eating her burger, and then piled back into Baby.

Stuck in the car now, though, Dean decided to break the silence.

“So, Dakota,” he stated, catching your daughter’s attention from where she’d been looking out the window. “How old are you?”

“Six!” She beamed. “ _Almost_ six and a half.”

“And what kind of music do you like?”

Her face lit up. “My favourite band ever is AC/DC, ‘cause I really like the song _Big Balls_. It’s so funny, because it says balls a lot. Mummy and Cliffy let me sing it in the car _all_ the time.”

“Cliffy? Who’s that?” Dean asked her, his voice a little tense with a hint of jealousy.

“That’s our driver. He takes Mummy and me everywhere. He used to be Uncle Jay and Uncle Jen’s driver but when Mummy had me they gave him to her.”

Reaching out, you stroked your daughters hair, trying to distract yourself from the pounding of your heart. “You can’t give people away like that, baby.”

She just shrugged, going on, “I like Zeppelin, too.”

“Led Zeppelin,” you corrected.

“Yeah! Led Zeppelin.” She nodded eagerly. “ _Travelling Riverside Blues_ is fun!”

Unable to help yourself, you looked up and found your gaze locking onto Dean’s in the rear-view mirror. There was a look in his eyes that made your stomach sink and heart flutter. _Travelling Riverside Blues_ had been your song.

After you were left behind you would play it on the days it was hard to get by. The days where you felt more like yourself than Emmalee, you would turn on that song and dance with Dakota all around your apartment. The phone would be ignored, the door would stay locked. It was just the two of you tucked away in the little bit of peace you’d found in a world you couldn’t call home.

As Dakota continued to ramble on she cut herself off suddenly, asking Dean, “Does this car go fast?”

He scoffed, turning to look over his shoulder at her briefly. “Does this car go fast? This is the fastest car you’ll _ever_ be in,” he told her.

Sam chuckled in the front seat, shaking his head.

“Really?” Dakota fidgeted in her seat, running her hands along the leather.

“Really.” Dean nodded. “Wanna see?”

“No,” you answered sternly at the same time Dakota had said yes.

Pouting, she looked up at you. “But _Mum_ ,” she whined.

“But nothing. We’re not going fast. You’re lucky we don’t have a booster seat or you’d be in that, too.” It was just another thing you were going to have to buy. “Now, sit back and stop moving, okay?”

Her pout turned into a frown as she settled back into her seat and stilled, but not before she crossed her arms over her chest. For the rest of the drive she stayed like that, grumpily staring at the seat in front of her. Dean didn’t ask anymore questions and everyone fell silent. Once again, the car ride turned tense.

* * *

Dakota ran down the stairs of the Bunker, following Jack into the library where he’d left his laptop. He’d promised they could watch a movie together before she’d have to have a shower, which had brightened her mood in an instant. Sam offered to take the groceries out of the car, insisting everyone else head inside. Unfortunately, that left you with Dean.

As soon as you were off the stairs, Dean was behind you, his hand wrapping around your arm to turn you around until your eyes met. “She’s mine, isn’t she?”

Snatching your arm from his grasp, you glared at him. “Dean, don’t.”

“No.” He shook his head, refusing to let this go. “The eyes, the freckles, the food, the music, the _timeline_. Tell me. Is she mine?”

You glanced over at Dakota and Jack, making sure your daughter wasn’t listening before you responded. “What do you want me to say Dean? What am I supposed to tell you?”

“The truth, for starters,” he snapped, voice rising.

“Fucking hell,” you hissed, grabbing his arm to pull him out of the room. You dragged him into the kitchen, looking behind you to make sure no one followed. “Keep your damn voice down.” You turned to glare at him.

“Is she, or is she not, my daughter?”

“Yes!” you exclaimed, breaking. “Yes, she’s your daughter!”

His eyes went wide as if he hadn’t actually expected that answer. He quickly recovered, though, surprise turning to anger. “When were you going to tell me? Before or after you left for Sioux Falls?”

“Don’t.” You shook your head, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Don’t you _dare_ play the guilt card. You have no idea what it’s been like. Raising her on my own, not knowing if I would ever be able to tell my daughter the truth about her father without being sent to a nuthouse. And then I come back, and you’re here, and I knew I was going to have to tell you the truth but I didn’t know where to start. Or _how_ to start. How was I supposed to tell you that for the past seven years I’ve been stuck in another world with _our_ daughter?”

You were shaking now, though you weren’t sure if it was out of anger or shock.

“After you and Sam disappeared I passed out,” you told him, getting more and more worked up by the second. “They took me to the hospital and I found out I was pregnant. At first I did _everything_ I could to get back here but nothing worked. I couldn’t keep doing it, Dean. I couldn’t… she’s everything to me. I couldn’t put her on hold to get back. And I’m sorry. Okay? I’m sorry. I’m-”

Suddenly you were wrapped in his arms as he held you to him. You cried, tears and snot soaking into his flannel shirt. He didn’t care though, he just let you sob and shake against him as his hand gently stroked your head much like you stroked Dakota’s.

It took a while before you calmed enough to hear him hushing your gently. His hand continued to stroke your hair as he waited. There was no rush, he was okay waiting for you to let it all out of your system.

When you finally stopped crying he pulled back to wipe away your tears with the pad of his thumb. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I was going to tell you,” you promised, still sniffling.

He smiled sweetly. “I know. I just… freaked a little. It’s not every day you find out you’re a dad.”

Out of nowhere, Sam rounded the corner then, coming to a stop at the sight of you in his brother’s arms.

“Uh… everything okay?” he asked as he walked over to put the grocery bags he was carrying onto the island bench.

“Yeah, Sammy.” Dean let you go, taking a step back. “We’re fine,” he assured his brother, but you weren’t so sure.

“Dean is Dakota’s father,” you blurted.

Both brothers tensed. Dean looked to you, while Sam looked from Dean to you and then back. You weren’t sure what reaction you were expecting, but you knew you needed to get it off your chest. You didn’t want to keep things from either brother. They were family. Not just because they shared your daughter’s blood, but because of everything you’d been through together before you’d been taken from this world.

After a few moments of pause, Sam gave a short nod. “I kinda figured that out already.”

“Really?” both you and Dean asked, shocked.

“Well, you two weren’t exactly subtle about your relationship. I know you were always on and off, most people couldn’t keep up, but I was with you every day. I knew you were back together. And when I saw Dakota…” He shrugged. “She looks exactly like Dean,” he noted simply.

“So… we’re okay?” You looked to each brother.

“No.” Dean shook his head, making you flinch a little. He’d just been consoling you, how could things not be okay? “I’m not going to force you to do anything, but…” He glanced at his brother before going on, “Dakota is my kid. She’s my blood. You of all people should know what that means to me. I want to be a part of her life.”

“Dean,” you sighed. “She doesn’t know you’re her father. She doesn’t know we’re in a different world. She thinks I’m Emmalee Hyde. She doesn’t know about monsters, or demons, or angels. I even kept her from the show _Supernatural_ , which was hard considering it was my job. She doesn’t know what a hunter is. How do you expect to be in her life, Dean? How am I supposed to explain everything to her?”

“She’s my daughter.”

“She’s _my_ daughter,” you countered. “I’ve been there every second of her life. She knows me. You’re just a stranger.”

The instant the words came out of your mouth you regretted them. The pain that flashed across Dean’s face did nothing to ease your guilt.

He looked at you like you’d shot him. Like you’d stabbed Sam. Like you’d crashed Baby. He looked at you and you felt all your insides crumble. You’d messed up.

Without a word, Dean spun on his heels and stormed out of the kitchen. You were frozen, staring at the space he’d been occupying seconds ago. When the sound of his bedroom door slamming echoed down the halls you finally moved, only to flinch and squeeze your eyes shut as that guilt settled deep in your stomach.

“Y/N-”

You lifted a hand up, shutting Sam down. “Don’t, Sam. Just… don’t.” Sighing, you walked out of the kitchen, dragging your feet as you headed to your own room. There, you crawled into bed, hoping you could sleep the terrible feeling stewing in your gut.

* * *

A dip in the bed had you shooting up in bed. You pressed a hand to your chest and let out a relieved sigh as you spotted Dakota kneeling on the mattress watching you with a curious look on her face.

“Baby girl, what are you doing?”

“The movie finished and I wanted to find you.” She shrugged as she crawled up the bed until she was sitting next to you. “What are you doing?”

You chuckled at her, shifting so your back was against the head of the bed. “Sleeping.”

“Why?”

“I was tired.”

“I think Dean’s tired, too,” she noted.

“What makes you say that?”

Shifting on the bed, she scooted down until she was lying beside you. “He’s been in his room for a long time. The door is locked.”

Following her, you shifted until you were lying down as well. You rolled onto your side and tucked your arm under your head as you watched her stare up at the roof thoughtfully. “You tried to open it, didn’t you?”

“Mm-hmm,” she hummed, nodding. “I thought he might wanna watch some _Paw Patrol_ with Jack and me. I think he’d like it.”

“Why do you think that?”

“’Cause he likes everything I like.” She shrugged. “You told me Sam and Dean saved the world, just like Paw Patrol. They’re heroes.”

“Do you like them? Sam and Dean?”

Rolling onto her side, she copied you and tucked her arm under her head before she nodded. “I like them. They look like Uncle Jay and Uncle Jen, but they’re not them. Uncle Jay and Uncle Jen are fun, but we don’t get to see them that much. And Shep always tugs on my hair, it hurts. I don’t like him.”

“You like JJ, though,” you noted.

“Yeah, but…” she sighed as if her thoughts were too heavy for her. “JJ goes to a different school. And she goes back to Texas a lot. She’s got new friends. She said-” She sniffled then, trying not to cry. “She said I wasn’t her best friend anymore.”

“Oh, hey, hey.” Reaching out, you wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to your chest. She covered her face with her hands as she cried against you, sobbing into your shirt. “Hey, it’s okay, baby girl. You know, people… people sometimes make new friends. And they move around. Sometimes people aren’t in our lives forever.” You stroked her hair soothingly. “What if… what if I told you…” Closing your eyes, you prayed to whoever was listening before you took a breath and let the words fall. “What if I told you we couldn’t go back home?”

She lifted her head then, looking up at you were tear filled eyes. “We can’t go home?”

Wiping away her tears, you gave her a sad smile. “You know the bright light that was in our kitchen? The one we walked through with Jack?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded.

“Baby girl, that light’s gone. We can’t go back.”

Pulling away, she looked at you were hurt and confused eyes. “But what about our friends?”

“I know you love everyone back home, but we’ve got friends here.”

“Like Jack?” she asked as she settled back into your chest.

“Yeah, like Jack.”

“Sam and Dean, too?”

“Yes, baby. Sam and Dean, too.” You leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “I know it’s gonna be scary, and hard, and you’re not always going to like it, but we can’t go back home.”

“So is this our new home?”

You looked around the room, taking in the foreign design. It was very cold, all wood, metal and concrete. There wasn’t a lot of life in the bedroom. It wasn’t bad, though, it just wasn’t the kind of place you envisioned bring your daughter up. Then there was the added threat that came with Sam and Dean’s life.

Speaking of Dean… you didn’t even know if he was going to forgive what you said. You weren’t so sure you were welcome at that moment.

“I don’t know,” you sighed, stroking her hair once more. “But what I do know is that no matter what, we’re always gonna have each other.”

Rolling onto her back, she lifted her hand, offering you her pinky finger. “Promise?”

There was no hesitation before you wrapped your pinky around hers. “Promise.”

**Bamby**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Warnings_ : Fluff. Angst. Dean running away from his problems in true Dean form.**

**Bamby**

When you woke, Dakota was fast asleep on the other side of the bed. You smiled down at her before slipping out of the bed. A quick look at the phone Sam gave you told you it was just passed six in the evening. You’d slept for a few hours.

Running a hand over your face, you crept out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen. You saw no one on your way, didn’t hear a peep. It felt like the perfect opportunity to make yourself busy.

An hour later you were pulling a berry filled pie out of the bunker oven.

You’d managed to find everything you needed and hadn’t had to go find someone for help. The place was still quiet as you’ve moved about, making a mess of the kitchen.

You’d just set the pie on the counter when Dakota came in, rubbing at her eyes. “Mummy?” Smiling at her, you watched as she realised what you’d been doing. “Pie?” she asked, her face lighting up.

“Why don’t you go get Jack, Sam and Dean? Tell them I’ve made dinner.” You gave her a wink.

In an instant she was gone, running down the hall to collect the guys. You chuckled lightly, shaking your head as you turned to dish up a few slices. You were almost done when Dakota returned, tugging on Dean’s hand.

Heart freezing at the sight of him, you avoided his gaze as he followed your daughter to the table. All that was said between the two of you was a small ‘Here you go’, and a short ‘Thanks’. The rest of his attention stayed on the little girl.

Sam came in and smiled at you, grabbing a slice for himself, soon followed by Jack. They said their thanks and dug in, all moaning at the taste of your pie.

“This is really good, Y/N.” Jack smiled.

Dakota beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “ _So_ good Mummy,” she assured you, not realising her face was covered in crumbs and smeared with the juice from the berries.

Dean chuckled as he grabbed a napkin to wipe at the corners of her mouth. “You’re a messy eater you know that?”

She turned her sparkling eyes to him, keeping her smile in place as she waited for him to finish cleaning her. “You’re nice.”

“You’re sweet.” He smiled back at her as he finished, turning back to his pie.

Watching from where you were cleaning up the kitchen, you felt you heart swell. Dean… Dean would be a great dad. You weren’t a fool, you knew he would be, and you wanted him in her life. But you were scared. There was still so much going on in your mind, you weren’t sure if you were ready to let him in all the way yet.

“Wanna play with me after we finish our pie?” Dakota asked him, scooping up another fork full.

“Sorry kid, but Sammy and me are actually going out,” he told her, flinching at the way her face fell. “But we’ll only be gone a few days. We’ll be back, I promise. And then I’ll play with you.”

She just looked down at the table, lip wobbling.

“Hey,” Dean sighed, grabbing her knees to turn her until she was facing him. “Look at me Dakota.” It took a few seconds before she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I promise I will play when we get back. Jack is staying with you and your mum. You can keep them company until then. Think you can do that for me?”

Slowly, she nodded. “Okay.”

“Good girl.” He smiled at her before ruffling her hair. “Now eat up. This pie is too good to waste.”

Feeling the tears in your eyes about to spill, you excused yourself with a mumble and hurried out of the room. You didn’t stop until you’d turned at least three corners before pressing your back against the wall as you let the tears fall freely.

You never wanted to hurt anyone. Never wanted things to be so confusing.

Dean was ignoring you, running from the problem and you knew it. He knew you weren’t ready to open up and he wasn’t ready to face that. What you’d said had hurt him, so now he was going to turn his back on you until he was ready to forgive. For now, you were going to have to suffer the consequences of your actions while watching him and your daughter bond in ways that should have happened years ago.

* * *

In the end you went back to your room to clean up… but for the most part you just sat on the edge of your bed looking at the two bags that sat by the door. Neither you nor Dakota had bothered unpacking, and now you were questioning what to do about that.

You still felt the need to leave. To get out before everyone got too close. You weren’t the person they remember. A lot can happen in seven years. You’d all changed. What if you didn’t work like you used to? What if they didn’t like the new you? What if you didn’t like the new them?

The worst of it, though, was the thought of Dakota. The last thing you wanted was to hurt her. If you stayed longer she would get more attached and that left her open to pain. If you left then she would be confused and alone. She was going to get hurt no matter what and it was all your fault.

 _Should have just stayed in the other world,_ you scolded yourself.

A knock on the door had you turning to look at it. You didn’t speak as you watched the shadow of feet through the bottom crack between the wood and the floor. You just sat there and mentally sighed.

It was either going to be Jack or Sam. Dakota wouldn’t bother knocking and Dean just wouldn’t bother. Which meant Jack was coming to tell you the brothers were gone, or Sam was about to tell you they were heading out.

Sitting there, waiting, staying silent, you watched as the feet shuffled a little bit before the handle turned and the door opened a crack.

Sam’s head popped in.

“We’re going now,” he told you with an apologetic smile.

Nodding, you let your head drop as you looked to your hands as they sat in your lap. “Yep. Okay. Have fun. Be safe.”

“Y/N…” He watched you a second longer before stepping into the room and moving towards the bed. You didn’t look up, eve when he sat next to you. “It’s just a simple salt and burn. Dean found it.”

“Dean’s running,” you noted bluntly.

He sighed, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before turning back to you. “He’s hurt.”

“I know. But if he thinks throwing a tantrum is going to help-”

“Y/N,” he cut you off, “he’s hurting and he’s scared.” Slowly, you looked up to meet his gaze before he went on, “You were gone for seven years and he never forgot about you. Now you’re back and that scared him, because he doesn’t know if you moved on or if you can just start where you left off. But then he found out that you were in another world with his daughter. A daughter he never knew about, and there is a big chance you’re just going to leave him again.”

“I didn’t-”

“No, okay, just listen.” He gave you a look and you shut your mouth, letting him talk. “Dean has lost pretty much everything. Family means the world to him. You remember what he was like with Ben and Lisa. You know he loves kids. You know he would want a million of his own if it weren’t for the way we live. Neither of us thought we’d be dads, but now Dean is and there is no way he’s just going to let you or her go without a fight.”

“He’s not fighting. He’s running.”

Sam gave you a small smile and a pointed look. “We both know he’s not running. He’s going to think, to give you space, to calm down.”

Thinking about it more clearly now, you realised he was right. Dean might run from some things, turn his back on them, but he never turned his back on family. While you’d been separated for so long, he still cared about you, and now there was the added fact that he had a daughter. Dean wasn’t running.

“We’re gonna be gone for a few days, but you can call if you need anything,” he assured you.

“Okay.” You nodded which made him smile and stand to leave.

As Sam reached the door, though, he paused and turned back to you. “Y/N?”

“Mm?” Your eyes met his as he waited in the doorway.

“Promise you won’t leave while we’re gone.” his gaze flickered over to the bags that were just a couple of feet away from him. “Promise you’ll both still be here when we get back.”

It was your turn to offer a smile and some reassurance. “We’ll be here when you get back.”

His shoulders relaxed then as some of his worries faded at your words. Neither of you said anything else as he continued out of the room, closing the door behind him.

You stood and moved to the bags as soon as you were alone and carried them to your bed. Without a second thought you opened them and pulled out the first few items before taking them to the chest of drawers to put them away.

While you still felt like leaving would be for the best, for now… you would stay.

**Bamby**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Warnings:_ Angst… of course. You should expect all the angst by now. But there is some fluff, too, don’t worry.**

**Bamby**

“Do you think Sam and Dean will be back soon?” Dakota asked as she stood in front of you in the bathroom, fresh out of the shower and now dressed in a pair of pyjamas.

Looking at her, you were reminded that the two of you needed more things. Clothes, toys, stuff. You’d left everything behind in the other world, you were starting fresh here. Dakota was a child, a little girl, she needed things to keep her occupied. For now, though, you would worry about it later.

Grabbing the towel Jack had given you for Dakota- which was far too big for her considering it usually catered for the giant brothers- you used it to dry her hair. “I don’t know, sweetie.”

“Can I draw them pictures? I think they’d like that.” She smiled as you lowered the towel from her head.

You returned to smile, nodding. “Why don’t you run along to the library? I’ll clean up in here while you get to work on those pictures.”

“Yay!” She jumped in the air and did a little excited dance as she hurried out of the room without glancing back once.

Cleaning the bathroom didn’t entail much work, but it gave you a chance to think and stop, to be alone for a little while. The brothers had been gone for two nights now, and it had taken a toll on your daughter. She wasn’t used to having no contact with people she cared about. Jensen and Jared had either always been around or always a Skype call away, but Sam and Dean… you weren’t sure if they wanted the interruption.

It’s not that you thought they wouldn’t appreciate the call or check in, you were pretty sure they’d find it sweet and nice actually. The brothers had lost a lot, just like you had, so the small moment of family you all experienced in your lives had always meant the world. You weren’t a hunter anymore but you hadn’t forgotten what it felt like.

The problem was you. Dean was upset, you knew it and you were pretty sure Dakota was figuring it out. You avoided the subject of him as much as possible, and dodged her questions expertly- in a way only a mother could. Dakota, though, had spent just as much time with you as you had with her, and she wasn’t a dumb kid. She could tell something was up.

So now you had to deal with your suspicious six year old, and your 39 year old grumpy ex.

“Uh… hello?” a deep, hoarse and familiar voice called.

You dropped everything in a heartbeat and hurried out, rushing in the direction the voice had come from. What it lead you to had you came to a skipping halt.

“Castiel?”

Standing there in the war room was the tall blue eyed angel you’d known years ago… with your daughter’s arms wrapped around his legs as she hugged him tightly.

Cas looked from Dakota to you, shock over taking his confusion. “Y/N?”

“What’s wrong?” Jack came running around the corner, only to stop as soon as he spotted Cas. A bright smile stretched his cheeks then. “Castiel.” He hurried forward to hug the angel much like your daughter was.

Dakota, though, quickly caught on something strange. Pulling away, she frowned up at the blue eyed man. “What’s a Castiel?

Sighing, you moved forward and crouched down beside her before waiting for her to turn to you. “Honey,” you reached out to brush her hair behind her ear, “this isn’t Misha.”

Blinking, trying to register your words, she soon responded. “He’s not Uncle Mish?”

“No.” You shook your head, giving her a sad smile.

“Like how Dean and Sam aren’t Uncle Jen and Uncle Jay?”

“Exactly.”

“So… who is he?”

You turned your smile to Cas. “This is Castiel, but people call him Cas. He’s an old friend, Dean’s _best_ friend.”

Her face lit up then, and just like that she trusted him. “Dean is my friend, too,” she exclaimed. “Wanna draw pictures with me? I’m making them for Sam and Dean. We can give them to them when they get back.”

Cas’ eyes flitted from you to Dakota and back. The confusion was returning, and just like before you’d disappeared you knew he was struggling with process this information. While things had been weird when you left you remembered that he really had been a friend before he changed, which is why you saved him in that moment.

“Why don’t you and Jack draw instead? I should talk to Castiel, catch him up on things,” you explained to her as you stood again.

She looked from you to the angel and then back. “Okay, but don’t take too long. We have to make _lots_ of pictures for Sam and Dean, okay?”

“Promise.” Leaning down, you pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Now go on.”

Not needing to be told again, she grabbed Jack’s hand and dragged him over to the library where some paper and colouring pencils had been left yesterday. As soon as you were sure she was distracted enough, you turned to Cas and gestured for him to follow as you walked out of the room and towards the kitchen.

The moment you turned to face him you spotted the confused and shocked look you recognised from years ago. The one where his mouth is slightly agape, brows furrowed as he looked over his shoulder in the direction you’d come from before turning back to you and leaned forward a little.

“Y/N?”

“Yes.” You gave a short nod.

“You’re really Y/N?”

“Yes,” you answered again. “And before you ask, I’m not a shapeshifter, demon, ghoul or angel. I’m not a monster, I’m the real deal.”

His eyes looked you up and down suspiciously. “Excuse me, but I have a hard time believing that.”

“Test me then.”

Watching you carefully, he stepped forward and pressed his palm to your forehead. He was colder than you anticipated, but that thought faded as you felt something probing in your mind, like a foggy hand sifting through your thoughts and memories gingerly. Cas stood before you, eyes squeezed shut and brows still furrowed as you searched your mind.

Pulling back, his expression was replaced by astoundment. “How?”

“Jack.” You shrugged, turning to grab yourself a drink of water.

“He brought you back?”

“Yep.”

“And the girl…” he paused, looking over his shoulder again before continuing, “she’s your daughter.”

Filling a glass with some water from the tap, you then turned to lean against the bench as you took a sip before nodding. “She is.”

“And she’s Dean’s.”

You actually weren’t surprised he figured it out or whatever. The guy had just been through all your thoughts and memories, and even if that hadn’t tipped him off Dakota would have. She’s hugged him, she’d been close enough that he would have been able to sense and read her energy, her aura, her soul. While she was her own person, there were parts of her that came from both you and Dean.

“Where are Sam and Dean?”

Taking another sip of your water, you took a moment before answering, “They went on a hunt.”

The confusion returned to his face. “Dean left the two of you here?”

“It’s not like we’re not safe,” you noted. “He and Sam assured me that this place is the safest place on Earth. And even if it wasn’t, there’s a nephilim here.”

But that didn’t seem to be enough for Cas. “I’m calling Dean,” he stated as he pulled his phone out of his trench coat pocket.

“Woah.” Pushing off the counter, you hurried around to stop him. “Woah, Castiel, wait. Why are you calling him?”

“Dean should be here with his daughter and partner.”

You flinched at the comment. “Dean and I aren’t together… and while he’s Dakota’s biological father,” you cleared your throat, shifting on the spot, “he’s not her dad.”

Cas tensed for a second before slowly turning to you. “Dean is her father, that makes him her dad. There is no difference.”

“There’s plenty of difference,” you argued, standing your ground.

Glaring lightly, as if he was reading you- which wouldn’t be a surprise- he took another moment before he called you out, “Dean left because you upset him.”

“You get that from reading my brain?”

“I don’t need to read your thoughts to know the reason why Dean would leave you and his daughter,” he countered. “I know Dean, and I know he wouldn’t leave the two of you here without a reason.”

“I might have said some things, but it was the truth.”

“Your truth, not his.”

As you stood there, looking at Cas and his unwavering gaze, you knew he was right. You’d thought about it on and off during the days Sam and Dean had been gone. You’d been hot and cold on the subject, blaming yourself and then blaming Dean. In the end you’d decided to leave the issue until he returned, but Cas’ words had stirred some left over anger from your argument with Dean.

Now, however, as the angel looked at you with those unblinking blue eyes of his, you knew you were wrong. Maybe not entirely, but you certainly weren’t completely right, either. Dean was Dakota’s father, her dad. When you decided to jump back into this universe, when you decided to return to Sam and Dean, you decided to let them into her life.

It was complicated and it was going to be hard, but Dean was part of Dakota’s life now and he had every right to be.

…

Dakota was fast asleep, curled up in one of the arm chairs in the library. Jack had set up his computer for her to watch _My Little Pony_ a while ago, but she hadn’t lasted long before she crashed. You were cleaning up all her pictures and things on the table when they appeared.

Cas and Jack were in the war room, talking about how Jack had opened the rip to get you, but as soon as the door opened they stopped when Sam and Dean walked into the room.

“Cas.” Dean smiled at his angel friend, nodding at him. You got the feeling they would have hugged if there weren’t more pressing things to deal with. Pressing things being you and Dakota.

Turning away from the other men, Dean headed towards you.

He walked with heavy and wide steps, the gape of his bowlegs making his walk a little more dramatic. You stood there and watched as he approached you, hands by his side and face unreadable. He wasn’t mad, though, which was a good thing- you’d expected another argument. When he stopped there was about a foot of space between the two of- enough space for comfort, but he was also close enough to be a little intimate.

“I don’t want you to go,” he stated simply.

You nodded lightly. “I know. Don’t worry, we’re staying,” you assured him.

The relief that flooded him was strong enough for you to see as he relaxed a little all over. This was the point where you made him tense again.

“But the instant I feel like this is too dangerous, I’m leaving.” When he opened his mouth to respond, you lifted your hand and cut him off, “I can do difficult. I can deal with you and I arguing, and I can deal with things never being the way they were. I can deal with mundane things, Dean, but I cannot and will not put my- _our_ daughter in danger. I don’t want her hunting. She deserves better.”

Standing there, Dean looked down at you as he contemplated your words, and then he gave a short nod. “Deal.”

To say you were surprised would be an understatement, but there was no way you were going to comment and risk him taking it back. So you simply smiled and nodded back.

He turned to look at Dakota then and you practically melted as his features softened the second he saw his sleeping daughter. “Need a hand taking her to your room?” he asked without turning to you.

Smile still plastered on your face, you nodded again. “That would be nice. Thanks.”

**Bamby**

 


	9. Chapter 9

**_Warnings:_ Fluff. A little bit of angst. I got angry at something… and this was the result… due to it being a result of a rant it is shorter than normal… sorry.**

**Bamby**

“If you two are going to stick around, we need to make the bunker kid friendly,” Dean noted as he stepped out of the Impala.

You, Dakota, Sam and Jack were right behind him as he lead your group towards the mall. It had been his idea, and a shock to everyone else. Dean had woken everyone up early and forced each of you to eat breakfast. He had Jack and Sam clean up while he showed you the room next to yours and explained how it could be Dakota’s.

Of course you’d been apprehensive with the idea of having your daughter not with you so soon, but Dean assured you that it wouldn’t be a mandatory. Just for nights you or Dakota might need space. A place she could call her own.

So here you were, ready to get to work on creating a home for your daughter.

Clothes were first on the list. Dakota had been living in the same three outfits for a week and she was bored of them. The girl was used to a somewhat luxurious lifestyle, but the new world brought changes and one of those was your smaller bank account.

“Dresses!” she exclaimed, dancing through the isle of pretty clothes.

You sighed, running your fingers along a beautiful lilac sequinned dress. It was something you would have bought her before, but it wasn’t suitable anymore.

“Jeans, sweetie. Pants. Shirts.”

Dakota spun on her heels to pout at you. “I already have jeans and shirts. I want pretty dresses and skirts.”

“Where are you going to wear them?”

“At home.” She shrugged as if that should have been obvious to you.

The fact she was calling the bunker home should have registered with you, but in the moment you barely blinked at the comment. You were too focused on how you were going to deal with this minor issue without a tantrum. Dakota was pretty easy going, but she was a kid, she could still blow up and start screaming at the drop of a hat if she felt the need.

Looking down at her and her unwavering pout, you decided to compromise. “You get one pretty dress and one pretty skirt.”

“Three skirts.”

“Two, and that’s all.”

Face lifting into a bright smile, she gave a sharp nod. “Okie dokie.” Turning on her heels once more, she scurried off to find what she wanted.

“I’ll help her,” Jack offered as he followed your daughter through the racks of clothes.

“You’re really good with her,” Sam noted as he walked beside you.

You shot him a grin. “I’ve had lots of practise.”

* * *

Dakota had danced on the spot and cheered to the high heavens when she saw the five flannel tops you’d grabbed for her. It only felt right to have her in the Winchester uniform, but considering she was a six year old girl you’d opted for softer and sweeter colours.

A pastel blue, a mixture of purples, a rainbow, a black and pink, and lastly a monochrome, black, white and grey one.

“I can wear this one with this new skirt!” She beamed as she held up the pastel blue flannel top and the glittery tulle skirt she’d picked. “And I can wear this one with my pink jeans!” She pointed to the black and pink flannel.

You were rounding the corner, entering the toy section then, and in an instant her attention moved away from the clothes.

Without a word, she ran off to look at everything on display and up for offer. Eyes wide, she mumbled to herself as she grabbed some toys to get a better look before placing them back where she got them from.

Everything was fine… until it wasn’t.

“Can I have this one, mummy?” She grabbed a toy sword from a crate of them. “We could get some for all the guys, too.”

Sam, Dean and Jack were somewhere else in that moment. They’d said something about furniture, but you hadn’t had time to question them before Dakota was dragging you away. At first you’d been a little nervous at the thought of walking around without them, but that faded the instant another mother caught sight of your daughter.

You smiled at Dakota and nodded. “Sure thing, sweetie.”

“Can I get a gun, too?” she asked and you nodded. “Yay!” She did her little happy dance and hurried over to dump them in the cart.

That’s when the mother spoke up.

Storming over to you with a scolding face only a parent could perfect, she started. “Don’t you think it’s inappropriate for your _daughter_ to be playing with toy guns and swords?”

Dakota stepped closer to you then, grabbing the hem off your jacket as she hid behind your leg ever so slightly. You reached down to rest your hand on her head protectively as the woman went on.

“She’s a _girl,_ she should be playing with dolls and having tea parties, not acting and dressing like a boy.” She gestured to the denim jeans and khaki button up shirt she was wearing, completely ignoring the pink cowgirl boots. “It’s your job to teach her how to act. Parents like you are the reason children don’t know how to behave.”

“Do we have a problem here?”

“Dean.” Dakota let go of your leg and hurried over to the three returning men, but you didn’t pay them any mind as you continued to look at the woman who _still_ wasn’t finished.

“At least you’re not foolish enough to be a single mother.” She gestured to the group behind you. “Perhaps one of them could teach you the difference between girls and boys? Maybe then you’ll be able to raise a proper daughter.”

Now, you were a somewhat mellow person. Parenthood had taught you how to control your temper and patience. Most of the time you could deal with people yelling at you, but commenting on Dakota and your parenting style was a step too far.

“Excuse me,” you took a step towards closer so you were almost chest to chest, “I will raise my child however I want to. There’s no such thing as a ‘proper’ daughter, but at least I know I’m raising a decent human being. She’s not going to be uptight or the kind of person who doesn’t know how to mind their own business. I hope for your child’s sake you grow up before you ruin the next generation.”

“How dare you!”

“Oh, I’m not finished, sweetheart,” you told her. “It shouldn’t matter if I’m a single mother or not, but for your information I’ve raised her all by myself from the day she was born. And I have helped her grow into a _beautiful_ little girl who just happens to like guns and swords. That doesn’t make her any less than any other girl, or any other child. She is her own self and she is comfortable with that person. So why don’t you turn around and get back to whatever unimportant task you were up to? I’ve got some toy guns to buy.” To prove your point you reached over and grabbed an arm full of toy weapons before dumping them in your cart.

With a huff and a glare, the woman stormed off.

Standing there, you watched her until she disappeared around the corner. Still you stayed, vibrating slightly with left over anger.

“Hey.” A hand slid along your back as Dean stepped up to your side. “You okay?”

You nodded, despite the fact your hands were shaking and pulse was racing.

Sensing your remaining anger, he turned towards you a little more. “She’s gone.”

“She said shit about Dakota.”

“And you handled it like a badass,” he noted, reaching up to brush some of your hair over your shoulder. “You’re an incredible mum, you know that?”

Sucking in a breath, you turned to him with wide eyes. No compliment would ever outdo that one. It’s all you ever wanted… to be good enough for your daughter.

He smiled lightly, seemingly oblivious to your reaction to his comment. “Come on, we’ve got everything we need. Let’s go home.”

**Bamby**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Warnings_ : Fluff… with, like, no angst… what the hell is this??**

**Bamby**

The brothers weren’t letting you see her room.

When you returned from the mall Sam and Dean had ushered you, Dakota and Jack out of the car at the front door, before taking Baby into the garage. They weren’t letting you see what they’d gotten for Dakota’s room. It was all going to be a surprise.

You at least knew which room they’d picked for her. Knowing you wanted her close and she’d want to be close to you, she was in the room next to yours… but you hadn’t missed the fact it was in the direction of Dean’s room. While it didn’t mean she was right outside his door, you got that he was trying to have her close.

His words were still ringing in your mind.

“ _You’re an incredible mum, you know that?_ ”

Just the thought of those words had your heart fluttering and lips pulled up in a permanent smile. It was the best compliment someone could give you. Since having Dakota, nothing else mattered. She was your life. You’d put everything on hold for her. Everything you did was for her.

Going along with the ridiculous idea that you were an actress. Playing pretend friends with strangers that wore familiar faces. Being this Emmalee girl. You had become an entirely new person for her… and someone had finally made a comment that made it feel all worth it.

But with that happy feeling came questions… and other feelings. The way you’d looked at Dean in that moment… you’d seen him in a different light. He wasn’t the old-friend-turned-stranger who was trying to get between you and your daughter. He wasn’t the bad guy, or the potential bad guy. Instead you’d looked at him and saw Dean.

Dean, the guy who had made you laugh in times where all you’d wanted to do was cry. Dean, the guy who had patched up more wounds of yours than you could recall. Dean, the guy who had jumped in the line of fire every chance he got. Dean, the guy who wasn’t scared to let you lean on his shoulder and rant. Dean… the first guy you’d ever loved- the _only_ guy you’d ever loved.

The father of your child.

“It’s ready.”

Your head snapped to the side to where Dean stood in the library doorway.

He looked disheveled, but that was to be expected considering he’d been working away for two days straight.

Dakota didn’t hide her excitement as she jumped off Jack’s lap with a squeal and ran up to Dean. He didn’t fight her as she grabbed his hand and began to drag him off towards her new room. All he did was pause for a second to smile at you, before he followed her obediently. Jack wasn’t too far behind, more than happy to go along with his new friend.

You rose from the chair you’d been lounging on while pretending to read- when, in fact, you’d been engrossed in your thoughts- and hurried along after them. It took no time to catch up, and not much more time after that before you reached your destination.

The door was closed, which gave an air of mystery that had Dakota jumping up and down on the spot and making this excited ‘ee’ noise she made when words failed her.

Reaching forward, Dean opened the door.

The walls were pale blue, almost pastel, and you instantly smiled. While Dakota was girlie, she didn’t _just_ like pink, and the fact the brothers had figured that out already just made your heart flutter even more. On the walls were colourful fairy lights- they were currently off, but you could see the many colours that would light up the room at night. One of the walls was adorned with different coloured pegasuses.

The bed was still the same that had been in there before, but the brothers had sanded the wood down and painted the wood white to soften it. Laid on top of the bed was a tie dyed pink and purple duvet, with fluffy pillows and a few stuffed toys.

The dresser had been sanded and painted white, and sat on the opposite side of the pegasus wall. A desk- that was new because it was the right size for a kid and not an adult- was against the wall opposite the dresser, and set right next to a set of white shelves.

On the bottom shelves were a set of coloured boxes that held all her toys. Above the toys, on the other shelves, were a few books. Then, to finish off, the brothers had laid out a large, fluffy, lilac mat in the middle of the room.

Dakota screamed- _screamed_ \- and ran into the room.

You, Dean, Jack and Sam- who was standing by the dresser- watched her jump onto the bed. She face planted onto the many cushions and pillows, laughing so happily, before she scurried off the bed. Bit by bit, she searched the room, ‘ooh’ing and ’ah’ing at everything. Not once did she make a sound of disappointment… she was entirely pleased and grateful.

Of course, that didn’t mean you were going to let her manners slide.

“What do you say, Dakota?”

“Thank you, thank you, _thank you!_ ” she exclaimed as she beamed at Sam and then Dean. “I love my new room.”

Sam chuckled, “We’re glad.”

“You’re more than welcome, kiddo.” Dean nodded. You turned to him, then, noticing how he was watching her so fondly.

“Jack!” Dakota rushed up to the doorway and grabbed his hand, tugging him in. “You _have_ to play with me, ‘kay? I got all these new toys. They’re going to be so much fun.”

The half angel boy smiled and nodded, saying something that sounded like he was agreeing, but you didn’t really hear. You were too distracted by the way Dean was still smiling a your daughter.

“I’m gonna go get cleaned up,” Sam stated as he started towards the door. “Can I…?” He gestured for both you and Dean to move so he could get out.

“Oh, yeah.” Dean moved.

You took a step to the side and out of the way as well. “Of course.”

Smiling his thanks, Sam then headed down the corridor. Now that you and Dean had moved you weren’t able to really see in the room… but you could see each other.

Looking at him as he watched you, a wave of confidence took over, and before you knew it, you were stepping closer to him. You didn’t even care that in order to do so, you had to pass the doorway- and therefore, possibly your daughter’s line of sight.

Coming to stand in front of him, half a step between you and him, you smiled and looked up into his green eyes. “Thank you for this.”

He shrugged, acting casual despite the fact he was staring into your eyes with so many emotions. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s everything,” you argued. “You’re giving her a home. You’re welcoming her. Things could have gone a lot differently than this. I wasn’t expecting it, but I was prepared for it… so this is everything. Thank you.”

Still gazing into his eyes, he gave a slow and slight nod. “You’re welcome.” He shifted on the spot ever so slightly. “Still think it’s nothing. Feels like it, compared to everything you’ve done for her. She’s lucky to have you.”

Again, he was making you blush with the compliments. You weren’t even sure that was his intention, but that didn’t change the effect of his words.

Without thinking, without giving yourself the chance to back out, you reached up on your toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “You don’t know how much that means to me.” Stepping back, you smiled once more before you turned.

Keeping your back to him, hiding your blushing cheeks, you walked towards your room and left him standing there, gawking.

**Bamby**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Warnings_ : Explicit language. Angst. Fluff.**

**Bamby**

Sam and Dean had gone out on a small hunt while you, Jack and Dakota stayed behind. The nephilim was pretty good at keeping your daughter distracted as you went about, trying to organise your new lives.

The high feeling from Dean’s kindness had faded a couple of days after he and Sam left. They’d been gone for almost a week now, and you were well and truly concerned. Not about them, but about what you were supposed to do.

Moving to a new town was hard enough, but moving to an alternate universe? This might be your home, but it wasn’t Dakota. You weren’t sure she understood that the life you led before was gone.

Running a hand through your hair, sitting in the kitchen, you sighed as you flicked through the paperwork in front of you. So distracted on everything you had to do, you didn’t even notice when someone walked into the room.

“Hey.”

Your head snapped up and you found yourself staring up at Dean. Before you knew what you were doing, you jumped out of your seat and threw your arms around his neck in a tight hug.

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around you in return. “Guess you missed me.”

“Just a little.” You shrugged, pulling away.

Looking down at you with a fond smile, he didn’t hide the way his eyes practically sparkled as they stared into yours. Before the moment could get too intense, however, he nodded to the paperwork you’d just abandoned. “What’s all this?”

Pulling away from him, your one smile fell as you answered, “Everything I could grab before Dakota and I followed Jack through the portal. Her birth certificate and a few other important documents. I don’t know if they’re worth anything over here, considering she isn’t supposed to exist, but she still needs an education.”

“Education?”

Nodding, you sat back down. “Yeah. Dakota needs to go to school Dean. And it’s not like she’ll be in kindergarten. She’s seven this year, Dean, she’ll be i first grade. It’s important.”

“I get that,” he assured you, taking a seat on the other side of the kitchen table. “So what’s the problem?”

Lifting your head, you gave him an incredulous look. “We live in a bunker, underground, in the middle of nowhere.”

“No, we live in a bunker, underground, just outside of a small town. There’s a school there.”

“And how is she supposed to get to school everyday?”

“I’ll drive her.” He shrugged.

You scoffed. “Dean, that means you have to get up early, every morning, and be there for her. We have a routine.”

“I can do that.” When you raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him, he reached across the table and grabbed you hand, looking in your eyes with unwavering truth. “I will be there for her.”

“And what about hunting?” you countered. “You just came back from being gone almost a week.”

Letting your hand go, he nodded. “I know, but I can’t stop hunting.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“Then how about this. When I’m here, I’ll take her to school. When I’m gone, you take her.”

“I don’t have a car, Dean.”

“There’s a garage full of cars,” Sam noted as he walked into the kitchen, heading over to the fridge. You and Dean turned to him, which had him pausing. “I wasn’t listening. I just heard the last part of the conversation and, yeah.” He shrugged. “So, what are you guys talking about?”

“Y/N is trying to find a school for Dakota,” Dean answered, turning to the paperwork in front of you. It was only then that he realised something. “There’s details on schools in Sioux Falls, here.” His voice was tense as he stared a hole into the paper, like he might be able to set it on fire with just the intensity of his stare.

Sam tensed. “You’re thinking about leaving?”

“No,” you quickly assured them, before back tracking… “Well, not unless we have to.” Dean’s hard gaze dragged up to meet yours. “What if your hunting life comes here? What if I get pulled back into it? I can’t and won’t let Dakota get involved with any of it.”

“Then don’t hunt,” he told you as if it was that simple.

“Stay here.” Sam stepped forward to stand by the edge of the table. “Use one of the cars in the garage, take Dakota to school, get a job if you want, do whatever you need to. But stay here. Please.” He looked down at you with those puppy dog eyes of his. “She’s your daughter, and it’s your choice, we know that. But she’s our family. We don’t want to lose her. Or you. Not again.”

“You wouldn’t lose either of us. You could visit all the time.”

“You’re talking like you’ve made your mind up.” Dean’s voice was so tight and thick with anger it was a wonder he hadn’t exploded yet.

Turning to glare at him, you snapped instead, “I have made my mind up, actually. I was never going to just leave, Dean, but I need options. I need second choices, because if things don’t work out here I need a place for Dakota. You think this is easy for me? Moving here? I know what’s out in this world, I know what you go through, and I have to think about my daughter.”

“Our daughter!” he yelled. “She’s our daughter, not just yours.”

“You don’t think I know that?! I am so fucking grateful for everything you’ve done for her, and it kills me to think about what could’ve been if I hadn’t been left behind. You’re an incredible father, which is why I’m not taking her anywhere. But that scares the shit out of me, because staying here is dangerous, for all of us. Especially for her!”

When you said you weren’t planning on going, you saw both men visibly relax, but Dean was far from fine. “So what you’re saying is if things get bad here, then you’ll leave?” he asked, voice not as tense but still on the verge.

“Dean, if things get that bad, you’ll be telling me to take her,” you noted.

The two of you stared each other down, both knowing you had a point. Dean might want you and Dakota around now, but at the first sign of danger he’ll want nothing more than for the two of you to run. It’s one of the most infuriating but sweet things about Dean. He’s always ready to put his own happiness aside in order to protect the ones he care about.

“She’s right, Dean.” Sam looked down at his brother.

“I know.” Pushing out of his seat, keeping his eyes on you, Dean gave a short nod.

“Mum?” a small voice called from down the hall.

The three of you turned just in time to see Dakota come bouncing around the corner. She froze on the spot as soon as she spotted the brothers, though.

Seeing her, Dean’s tension melted as he smiled. “Hey, kiddo.”

Letting out a squeal so high pitched it should have deafened you, Dakota threw herself at him much like you had. “De! I missed you!” she exclaimed as he chuckled, lifting her into his arms.

“What about Sammy?” he asked.

“Of course!” She nodded enthusiastically. “Missed you both,” she assured them.

Sam smiled at her and his brother. “We missed you, too.”

Doing a little happy dance in Dean’s smile, Dakota then quickly stopped and looked to him with a very excited smile. “Ooh! Ooh! You have to see what Jack and I just did! I was gonna show mummy, but you can come too.” Wriggling out of his grasp, she landed on her feet and grabbed his hand before dragging him to the door. “Come on everybody!”

Laughing, both you and Sam followed as Dean was pulled along by your bouncy daughter.

**Bamby**


	12. Chapter 12

**_Warnings_ : Explicit language. Angst. But, like, for some reason it’s actually mostly fluff, which is gross.**

**Bamby**

Following Dakota and Dean through the halls, walking beside Sam, you smiled happily at your daughter and her father. Your gaze focused on their hands, his large one engulfing her tiny one. There was just something about it, about them… it made your heartache in a good way.

Coming around the corner, you entered the war room and came to a stop.

Standing in the library, Jack beamed at the four of you as he gestured to the creation behind him. “Do you like it?”

The chairs to the back tables had been arranged in a way so that the blankets draped over them created a tent. Underneath were thicker blankets and pillows, all laid out to make the space more comfortable and inviting.

“We made a blanket fort!” Dakota exclaimed, tugging Dean closer. “Look!”

Dean chuckled lightly, grabbing and lifting her onto his hip as he strode over to the fort. “You did this all by yourself?”

“Jack helped,” she explained. “He was the one that moved the chairs. I wanted to throw the blankets over the table, but he made it better.”

Sam moved over to stand by his brother’s side. “It’s very cool.”

“Really? You like it?” Dakota had this excited but nervous energy about her. If the brothers liked it that would make her day, but if they didn’t it would break her heart.

“Really.” Sam nodded at her.

Keeping Dakota on his hip, Dean crouched down to get a better look. “You think we’ll all hit in there?”

“Maybe not you _and_ Sammy. You’re both really big.”

“Yeah, we are.” Dean looked to her. “But maybe we can grab more blankets and Sam can lay out here? Pretend he’s looking up at the stars? Like he’s camping.”

“Ooh! That sounds fun. I’ve never been camping.”

Dean looked a little surprised as he stood again and turned to you. “She’s never been camping?”

“We lived in Vancouver for most of the year, and Texas in Winter… plus I was a single mother slash actress. It wasn’t exactly easy to do things we can do here,” you note.

He gave it a thought before shrugging. “Well, you’re here now, so we’re gonna go camping.”

“You hate camping,” Sam countered.

“Not with the right people.” Dean’s eyes settled on your daughter again. “And we’ve got the right people here.”

Dakota squealed. “We’re going camping?”

“Not now, sweetie.” You stepped up into the library. “Not in the fort and not outside. Not tonight. It’s too late for that.”

Her face turned down into a pout. “But Dean said-”

Cutting her off, Dean gave her a little nudge. “Listen to your mum, kiddo.”

Sighing, she nodded, giving in.

You couldn’t help but bend a little. “Okay, I tell you what. Tomorrow night we’ll all camp in here, _if_ the brothers want to, and _after_ we get everything done. Okay?”

“Yes!” Dakota wriggled out of Dean’s grip and landed on the ground before throwing her arms around your legs. “Thank you Mum!”

Smiling down at her, running your fingers through her hair, you looked up to the three waiting men. “Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Sam gave you that small sweet smile of his.

“I’ve never been camping, either. And I’ve never slept in a blanket fort.” Jack gave one of his quick and happy nods. “It should be fun.”

“Then it’s settled.” Dean clapped his hands together before scooping in to grab Dakota once more. She giggled as he adjusted his hold and flipped her so she was hanging upside down. “Bed time now, fun tomorrow.”

“Yay!”

Laughing and shaking your head, you watched as Dean started to leave the library, carrying your daughter just like that the whole time.

“You comin’, Mum?” Dakota called through her fit of giggles.

With a quick goodnight to Sam and Jack, you hurried along to catch up. When you eventually found Dean and Dakota again, they were almost at her bedroom.

Dean was fixing his hold on her, setting her back on his hip as she rambled on. Not one word fell on deaf ears. He listened to everything, and he took it all in like it was the most important news he’d ever heard.

She had him wrapped around his finger already.

As he took her into her room, you leaned against her door frame and watched. You wanted to see how this would play out.

“Okay, so, story or no story?” he asked as he stood her on her bed.

She stood there, bouncing a little as he grabbed her pyjamas. “Story.” She gave a short nod. “It’ll help me fall asleep, and then tomorrow will come faster, and then we can camp in the library.”

He chuckled, handing her the set of clothes he’d pulled out of the drawer. “Okay, story it is.” While she started to get dressed, he turned to grab a book. “And what are we reading tonight?”

Never would you have guessed that Dean would be like this. You knew he was paternal, you knew he raised Sam, you knew he loved kids, but you didn’t think he’d be the kind to sit awkwardly beside your daughter in bed, and read to her until she drifted off. Apparently he was that kind of guy, though, because most nights he was home that was exactly what he did.

Once Dakota was dressed and the book had been picked, she settled into bed and he plopped down right next to her. Angling the book so she could see the pages, he started to read.

He didn’t hold back on the enthusiasm. Every character had a different accent, he made the sounds, and looked down at Dakota with fear or excitement when it was warranted.

You stood there and watched the entire time, smiling at the two of them. When Dakota leaned her head against Dean’s arm, her eyes starting to drift, you noticed the way his words faltered a little. He didn’t make it to the end of the book before she was fast asleep, but he kept going, He always finished the book, every night.

Closing the book, he carefully slid off the bed and crept away. Placing the book back on the shelf carefully, he tiptoed over to the door and began to close it, leaving it a jar ever so slightly. When he was certain she was still asleep and wouldn’t wake, he let out the breath he’d been holding.

“I could never take that away from the two of you,” you whispered, nodding to the door. He looked to you, a little confused. “She’s never had a dad, Dean. It’s always been her and me. You’ve always been about family. Having kids wa- no, it probably still is one of those wants you don’t openly admit to.”

His eyes dropped to the ground, giving you the indication you needed in order to know you were right.

“I spent seven years in that other world Dean, and I was pretty much all by myself. The people around me were strangers, they didn’t understand _me_. I had to learn how to survive, and I had to survive for her. So there was always a plan A, B, C… I had as many options as I needed. That’s what I’m doing here.”

Sighing, he looked up to meet your gaze again. “I get that, but… I know things always go bad for us. Everyone either leaves or gets hurt, and I don’t want either of those things. Not for her. Not for you.”

You tried to hide your shock, but his words throw you for a loop. Dean had made it clear that he wanted Dakota to stay, that he would do anything for her… but there hadn’t been much said in regards to you.

Oblivious to your surprise, he went on, “I’m gonna be honest, things aren’t great right now, and they’re not gonna get better for a while. I don’t want to scare you away, but I don’t want to lie to you.”

“I remember the life, Dean. I was a hunter long before you and I even met. None of that is easy to forget.”

“Things have gotten worse, Y/N.”

“Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but while I was gone… Cas released a bunch of black goo bastards, you went to purgatory, Sam hit a dog, you found the Bunker, and Sam went through a set of trails to close the gates of Hell.”

“How’d you-”

“I talked to Cas and Jack. Apparently your timeline doesn’t quite match up with the show I worked on, but it was still pretty close.” You shrugged. “In your timeline Abaddon got away and you had to use Crowley, and then everything went to shit. In the timeline I knew, you tried to cure Abaddon but it didn’t turn her human, just weakened her enough to kill her, and then you realised Sam would die if he actually finished the trial so you stopped.”

“So I didn’t become a demon?”

“Nope.”

“But we didn’t close Hell?”

“Nope.”

“Did Crowley get addicted to human blood?”

“Actually, Kevin turned him into a human as payback, and then Gadreel killed him.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, I’m still getting used to the differences…” your eyes dropped to the floor, “like Bobby being gone.”

It might’ve been a show, but working on Supernatural had been the only way you could really stay connected to your old life. To come back and find out everything you’d experienced- fake or not- was all fake, just added to the shock of everything.

You couldn’t just slid back into your life like you thought you could- though you never assumed it would be easy. No, instead you had to learn what happened to the real Sam and Dean, and figure out a way to adjust to how extreme their lives had become.

While you were aware of the fact things just got more and more difficult and weird, you hadn’t lived it. The brothers weren’t fighting a new monster every week anymore, they were saving the world over and over.

He watched you in amazement. “You’ve been through a lot.”

“So have you.”

“No, I mean… I always had Sam. You were alone.”

“I had Dakota,” you countered.

“It’s not the same,” he argued, shaking his head. “You had to raise her, protect her, provide for her. No one had your back. No one could pick up the slack if you couldn’t. Sammy and me, we’ve been through Hell and back over and over, but we always had each other to lean on when we needed. We had Cas, and Crowley, and other friends. Now we’ve got Jack. But it was always just you and her.”

You shrugged. “What else was I supposed to do? I was living the life of a stranger, surrounded by familiar faces that belonged to people I didn’t know. I tried letting them in… I tried letting Jensen in because I needed you, but he wasn’t you and that broke my heart. I tried letting Jared in, but wasn’t Sam. And trying to make new friends when you’ve got a crazy schedule like I did, _and_ a kid? Forget about it.”

Stepping closer, he looked down at you with guilt and pity. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” you assured me.

“We left you there.”

“Again, not your fault.”

He wasn’t letting it go, though. “We left you there for seven years. You were alone. You were pregnant. I left you and our daughter in a strange world, for _seven years_.”

“To be fair… she was only around for a little over six years,” you countered, trying to lighten the mood… it didn’t work.

Moving a little closer, he looked deep into your eyes. “This isn’t a joke, Y/N. My own daughter doesn’t know who I am, and you had to pretend to be someone else for years, all because I couldn’t find a way to bring you home.”

 _Home…_ fuck that word alone hit you hard. Your throat felt tight with emotion, your heart swelling at his sincerity. Dean Winchester, the hardened brother who shoots first and shared chick-flick-moments never, was standing in front of you with so much guilt in his eyes he was practically drowning.

Leaning up, you pressed your lips to his in a gentle kiss.

Frozen on the spot from shock, he stared down at you as you pulled back and looked up at him with wide frightened doe eyes. You hadn’t intended to kiss him, but the deed was done and now you were waiting for the backlash.

Before you knew what was happening, both has hands cradled your face as he leaned in to crash his lips against yours.

The kiss was deep and all consuming. It stole your breath and your heart. You melted against Dean, shedding layers of your wall until part of your old self began to show. A self that had once been completely infatuated with the man now holding you to him like he was scared you might disappear again.

Eventually you both needed to breath, and so the kiss was broken. Dean didn’t let you go, though, and you didn’t mind. Feeling the warmth of his hands, the roughness… it was grounding, There was no arguing the realness of the moment as long as you could feel him.

“I’ll do whatever it take to keep you both here, and to keep you both safe.”

“I know. I trust you.”

**Bamby**


	13. Chapter 13

**_Warnings:_ Fluff!! And a tiny bit of angst…**

**Bamby**

Dakota was exceptionally well behaved the next day. Knowing that if everything was done on time she would be able to ‘camp’ in the library, she didn’t make a fuss once. Not even when you sat her down and explained that she would have to start school in a few days.

She looked up at you, thoughtful and a little worried. “Will it be hard?”

You dropped into the seat across from her at the kitchen table. “Maybe sometimes, but you’re smart, you’ll be okay.”

“I’ll help you if you need it,” Sam offered as he moved about behind the counter on the other side of the room.

“See.” You gestured to him. “You’ll be fine. Sammy is the smartest person I know, it’ll be like having your own secret weapon.”

The worry on her face ever so slightly, but didn’t fade completely. “Will… will there be other kids?”

“Lots of other kids,” you assured her.

“Will they like me?” she asked, shocking you.

She was scared. Back in the other world, she’d struggled with making friends. Even though she’s only ever known that place, she’d always expressed the fact she never felt like she really belonged. Even though she was best friends with JJ, they’d always been on and off. It was hard, watching her try so hard and fall every time.

“Hey.” Sliding out of your seat, you got to your knees by her chair and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “You’re going to make lots of friends. No one is going to know who you are, or who I am, we’re normal here, starting from scratch. Okay?”

Nodding, she wiped at her cheeks. “Okay.”

“Good girl.” Standing up, you ran your fingers through her hair. “Now, finish your juice and go shower, please.”

As you turned your back she lifted her glass and continued to drink what was left. Knowing she would do as you asked, you stepped up to Sam.

“You gonna tell me what you’re doing over there?” you asked, leaning against the island counter to watch as he quickly shoved some things into a basket.

Shrugging, he played dumb. “Nothing. Just… sorting the cupboards.”

“Sure…” you chuckled under your breath lightly. “Might’ve been gone for seven years, but I still know when you’re lying, Sam. That’s okay, though.” You pulled back and put your hands in the air. “You want your weird secrets, that’s fine by me.”

Pausing, he looked over his shoulder at you. “Seriously? You’re gonna let it go?”

“No!” You hurried around the counter and snatched the basket from the bench. “Ha!” Grinning, you held the basket away from him. “Gotta be quicker than that, Sammy.”

“Wait-”

Not listening, you peeked inside… and found an assortment of what looked to be movie foods. Popcorn, chips, chocolates, licorice, all kinds of treats.

“What-”

Before you could finish, Sam pressed a hand to your mouth and looked over your shoulder at Dakota. “You finished your juice?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Shower time.”

“But I wanna know what’s in the-”

Pulling away from Sam’s hand, you turned to her. “I’ll tell you after your shower, honey.”

“Okay,” she sighed, dropping off her seat and dragging her feet out of the room.

Once you were alone, you looked up at Sam. “What is this?”

“Dean wanted to do something nice for Dakota,” he explained as he took the basket from you again.

“Dean is always doing nice things for Dakota,” you countered.

“Well, he wanted to do something special. The bedtime stories, watching Paw Patrol and My Little Pony, spending hours drawing with her, running around the bunker with her on his shoulders… that’s stuff he can do every day. Tonight, he wanted to give her something different… and he wanted to give you something, too.” Adjusting his hold on the basket, he gestured for you to follow. “Come on.”

He led you out of the kitchen and towards the war room. Mind whirling, wondering what the brothers might be up to, you didn’t notice it at first.

“It’s not ready yet!” Dean exclaimed, drawing your attention to him.

The fort had grown. The blankets stretched further and higher, almost swallowing the entire back half of the room. It looked as if they’d gathered all the blankets from every room and shoved them under the tent’s roof. Jack was inside, hanging the last of some fairy lights. A small tabled sat in the middle of the entrance, with Sam’s top sitting there, open and glowing- though you couldn’t see what was on the screen.

Your lips pulled into a smile. “You did all this for Dakota?”

Jogging down the few steps into the war room, Dean shrugged. “We did it for all of us, but mostly her.”

“It’s incredible.” You beamed up at him. “She’s gonna love it.”

He returned the smile, coming to stop in front of you. “Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Awesome.” Turning his smile to his brother, he nodded to the basket. “You got the food?”

Sam gave a firm nod. “Got it.”

“Jack will show you where to put it,” Dean told him, gesturing over his shoulder to the fort and the nephilim.

Giving you and Dean a wondering glance, Sam headed over to Jack to hand the basket over. Now alone- well, as alone as you could be- Dean turned his focus back to you

“I was thinking… movie night, snacks, and camp out in the fort?”

Your eyes drifted to the towering blankets and sheets. “All of us?”

“There’s plenty of space,” he assured you. “Sam doesn’t have to sleep outside anymore.”

Chuckling, you met his gaze again. “I was more thinking… sleeping on the ground is going to kill me, and your snoring is going to kill everyone else.”

He gasped in mock offence. “I do not snore.”

“You do,” you insisted. “It’s not a secret.”

“I had my shower, Mum,” Dakota called as she came hurrying into the room. “Can you tell me what was in the-” Her mouth fell open as she spotted for fort in the library. “Oh my God!” squealing, she ran over to check it out.

Your hand slid in Dean’s without thought as you led him over to your daughter. Laughing as she jumped up and down, you watched her get on her hands and knees and crawl into the tent.

“This is amazing!”

Leaning in, Dean whispered in you ear, “Think she likes it?”

“There’s a slight possibility, yeah.” You turned to give him a wink. “Come on.”

“Are we all watching a movie together?” Dakota asked as you got on your knees and started to crawl inside with her. “All of us?”

“Yep,” Dean groaned a little, crouching down as he waited for you to settle in.

Hurrying to the tent’s entrance, Dakota reached out and grabbed his hand. “De, you’re gonna be next to me.” She tugged him inside and tried to shove him into the spot next to you.

Laughing lightly, he did as she said and plopped himself down on your right. You smiled up at him as you laid back against the pillows. He joined you as the others moved about, Dakota putting Jack on her other side before she started to berate Sam for taking too long.

“I gotta get the snacks,” he explained as he started to crawl in.

She just giggled. “Faster! Faster!”

Your eyes were on Dean as he looked down at you, sharing small smiles that held secrets no one else knew.

Last night had been playing on your mind over and over. It had been difficult to get to sleep after Dean pulled away from you outside of Dakota’s room. Hours after the kiss, you could still feel his lips on yours. Then, in the morning, you recalled it all over again, and the countless dreams the moment created.

Laying there, looking at him, you couldn’t help but let your eyes wander to his lips.

His tongue peaked out to wet them. You had to bite your own lip to stop yourself from making a sound. It had been a _long_ time since you’d been intimate with someone, and in that moment you felt the urge to pull Dean into another kiss that would lead to God knows what.

“Movie time!” Dakota exclaimed.

Both you and Dean pulled away from each other to turn to your daughter.

She was sitting cross legged between Dean and Jack, watching Sam’s computer screen with bubbling excitement. “What are we watching, Sammy?”

Reaching over, he clicked on the mouse pad and started the movie. “Dean thought you might like Frozen.”

Sucking in a gasp, she turned to Dean. “I _love_ Frozen.”

As he opened his mouth to respond, the movie began. Dakota spun around to face the screen again, all of her attention on the movie. Chuckling under his breath, Dean didn’t bother to say anything and chose to focus on the movie, too.

You were all engrossed in the beginning of the movie when _the_ song started. As Anna knocked on her sister’s door, Dakota bopped her head in time with the beat.

“Do you want to build a snowman?” she sang in time with the movie. “Come on, let’s go and play! I never see you anymore, come out the door. It’s like you’ve gone away.”

Dean watched her with a fond smile as she swayed a little and continued to sing.

“We used to be best buddies, and now we’re not, I wish you would tell me why! Do you want to build a snowman?” She cupped her hands over her mouth. “It doesn’t have to be a snowman.”

“ _Go away, Anna._ ”

“Okay, bye,” Dakota sighed, pretending to be sad just like Anna.

* * *

Engrossed in the movie, you weren’t even sure Dakota knew she was still singing along with every song.

“Reindeers are better than people, Sven, don’t you think that’s true?” she sang with a zoned out look on her face. Opening her mouth to sing Sven’s part, she stopped herself as Dean’s deep voice sang along with the reindeer.

“Yeah, people will beat you, and curse you and cheat you, Every one of them’s bad except you,”

Dakota’s attention snapped to Dean as she giggled. Watching him, she sung the next part, “But people smell better than reindeers, Sven, don’t you think that I’m right?”

“That’s once again true, for all except you.” He smiled up at her.

“You got me, let’s call it a night.” She beamed down at him.

Putting on a face pouty face as if it helped make his voice deeper, he sang his last part, “Good night.”

Too busy laughing, Dakota didn’t bother finishing the song, letting Kristoff do it by himself, “ _Don’t let the frostbite bite._ ”

“You know the songs!” Dakota exclaimed, still looking down at Dean.

He shrugged. “Of course.”

“He loves Disney movies,” Sam added before taking a mouthful of popcorn.

You looked over at Dakota, seeing the way her eyes were shining down at Dean. She looked at him like he hung the moon, and it made you feel… at home. Despite the fact she didn’t know Dean was her dad, she still cared for him like family, and that meant the world to you.

After you found out you were pregnant with her you did everything you could to get back, but nothing worked. Over the years, stuck in the other universe, you wondered what it would be like to have Dean with you every step of the way. You wondered what he would be like as a father, and you wished you could give that to Dakota.

It might’ve taken a while, and it was far from conventional, but finally you could give your daughter what she’d always needed.

**Bamby**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Warnings_ : Fluff. Angst. And… uh… smut. Explicit language. Dry humping. Fingering. Unprotected sex.**

**Bamby**

Frozen had finished a while ago, but none of you had moved to put on another movie. Instead you were lying down and staring up at the fairy lights, pretending you were stargazing as Dakota talked away.

“I’m happy Elsa and Anna have each other,” she said out of the blue. “Mummy and me were always by ourselves. It would be lonely without her.”

Dean turned his head to look at her. “You’ve got a good mum, huh?”

“The best.” She gave a sharp nod. “What about your mum? Is she a good mum?”

Everyone fell silent.

The reason Jack had found you was because he’d been looking for Mary. She was in another world, a horrible place, with Lucifer of all people- not that he was a person. Jack had gone to the ends of the earth to bring her back, and instead he’d found you.

Sam and Dean might not talk about it, or her, but you knew they missed their mother. Before you were left behind, back when you were still their hunting partner and fooling around with Dean, he would tell you about Mary. While talking about her, he got this sparkle in his eyes that was very boy-like. He became the kid he was before he lost her the first time.

“Oh,” Dakota gasped, clasping a hand over her mouth, “I forgot. Jack told Mummy and me about your mum… I’m sorry.”

You frowned, leaning up on your elbow to look over Dean at her. “Jack told me, not you. You were supposed to be sleeping.”

She shrugged, looking away guiltily. “I was awake.”

Dropping back down, you sighed. “Typical.”

Reaching out, Dean intertwined your fingers with his as he continued to look at your daughter. “It’s okay. We’re gonna get our mum back.”

“And then I could meet her?” Dakota’s face lit up.

“Of course.”

“You think she’ll like me?”

“She’ll love you,” Sam answered from the other side of the tent.

Dakota hummed happily, settling back into her spot.

The conversation made a few turns as the five of you talked away. Soon enough, though, Sam was fast asleep. Dakota chuckled lightly, but left him alone, still chattering away. Dean hung on every word she said.

Eventually Dakota began to drift off. You put on another movie, knowing she would focus on the screen and fall asleep. When she was softly mumbling and sighing, curled up next to Jack who was still wide awake, Dean turned to you.

His eyes met your as his tongue slipped out to wet his lips. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Your cheeks flushed a little. “Thanks for tonight.”

“You’re welcome.” Reaching out, he brushed your hair behind your ear as he leaned in a little closer. “I had fun.”

Sucking in a breath, your eyes darted from his to his mouth and then back. “Me too.”

“You tired?” he asked, cupping the side of your face.

“Not at all.”

The kiss was light, gentle, and made your head spin. Moaning against him, you grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, seeking out as much of him as possible. He shifted onto his knees, settling in between your legs as he deepened the kiss, licking into your mouth.

Someone cleared their throat, making you both pull away.

Jack sat there awkwardly, doing his best not to look at the two of you.

Dean chuckled under his breath before pulling back to sit on his heels. “Come on.” He reached a hand out to you.

Lips pulling into a grin, you let him help you out of the fort. He didn’t let go as you crept out of the library, doing your best not to wake Sam or Dakota as you snuck out and towards the bedroom.

As he descended the stairs into the corridor, he turned and grabbed your waist before lifting you off the ground and pulling you close. Your arms wrapped around his neck in an instant as he tilted his head up to brush his lips against yours.

This kiss was just as light as the first, but quickly became more. You melted into him, moaning at the feel of his tongue sliding against yours deliciously. His grip on the back of your thighs, holding you in place, was so strong and secure. You felt safe in his grasp. Safe and wanted.

Reaching his room, Dean pressed you against the wall, grinding into you as he fumbled with the door handle. When the door swung open, however, he didn’t walk the two of you inside. Instead he kept you against the wall, enjoying the feel of you now pressing against his crotch.

Pulling your lips from his, you panted as your eyes locked onto his lust darkened gaze. You both moaned and groaned as you rocked gently, giving each other just a taste of the pleasure that was coming.

“Dean,” you whined. “I need…”

“I know.” He nodded. “I know.”

Pushing away from the wall, keeping your legs wrapped around him, he walked into his room. He kicked the door closed behind him, pressing his lips to your again, wanting to taste more of you.

Dropping you onto the bed, he followed, keeping his lips on yours as you landed on his memory foam mattress. His fingers plucked at your shirt, pulling it open to reveal your bra. As his fingers ran over the lace, he tore his lips from yours to admire the view.

“Wow,” he breathed as his gaze landed on your bra.

It was nothing like the usual cheap stuff you wore before being left in the other world. Before you bought what was cheap and available. But this? This was Victoria’s Secret, blush pink with rose gold lace… and it had cost you just under a hundred dollars.

Fingers creeping further down, he made quick work of your jeans and pulled them open to reveal your matching thong.

“Fuck me…”

“Together, that’s over a hundred and sixty dollars… you break ‘em you pay for them,” you told him.

Dragging his eyes up to meet yours, he pulled a cup of your bra down to free your breast. “What kind of person spends that amount on underwear?” he asked before he circled his tongue around your nipple.

Sucking in a breath, you arched into his touch. “A T-TV st-star. Tha-at’s who.”

Grinning against you, he sealed his lips against the bud and sucked it into his mouth. You cried out, running your fingers through his hair and held his head in place.

Chuckling, he pulled away to look down at you. “Been awhile?”

Moaning, closing your eyes and licking your lips, you nodded. “I haven’t had sex in years… and no one was ever as good as you.”

Trailing light kisses down your body, he began to slid your jeans and panties off. “Mmm,” he licked lightly at your stomach, “you don’t need to butter me up, sweetheart. I’m already yours.”

You whimpered and whined as he tore your clothes away. Leaning over you, he stroked your slit, groaning at how wet you already were. Two fingers slid into you, dragging along your walls, seeking out that sweet spot.

Crying out, you clutched at the blankets under you once he found it- which took practically no time at all.

“There you are.” He grinned, watching as you bucked against his hand below him.

It was torture, and you loved it. He paid close attention to the spot that made your nerves sing, but didn’t give you enough to tumble over the edge you were already hanging from.

“Dean… Dean please, fuck. Just… just fuck me. I need… fuck I need you so bad.”

Pulling away, he quickly slipped off the bed to undress. While he was gone, you unclipped your bra and tossed it away before turning your eyes to him.

Seeing Dean undress- albeit hastily- was something else. You’d liked him years before you first hooked up, and had often thought about your moments together during your ‘private time’ back in the other world. You never forgot what he looked like… but the memory of what he felt like had faded.

“Dean…”

His eyes snapped up to meet yours as his thumbs hooked into his briefs.

“Hurry up.”

Practically tripping out of his underwear once he tugged it down to the ground, he then quickly climbed back onto the bed and between your thighs. His lips sealed over yours in an instant as he lifted your leg to hook it over his hip.

Lining himself up, he began to push into you.

The first feel of him stretching your walls was intense. It had been so long since you’d had someone or something so big inside you. He was warm, thick, and long, fitting into you a little too tightly but that made it all the more pleasurable.

“Move,” you panted in his ear, digging your nails into his back. “Please move.”

Dropping his forehead to your shoulder, he shuddered as your walls squeezed him. “Hold on.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle. “Been a while?”

Hearing the teasing tone of your voice, he pulled out and then thrust back in, making you suck in a gasp. Falling silent, you held on as he set a steady rhythm, fucking into you hard but slow, enjoying every flutter of your walls and every sound you made.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you held him close as you whined in his ear, feel him pick up the pace gradually. He slammed into your sweet spot with every thrust, making your body tingle with your approaching orgasm.

Reaching between your bodies, he flicked at your clit, pushing you over the edge.

Burying your face in his neck, you cried out as your body shook around him. He held you close, still thrusting, still flicking your clit as he drove himself to his own ending. Pace faltering, he groaned against your chest as he spilled inside you.

Neither of you moved, holding onto each other as you rode out your orgasms. He pressed gentle kisses against your chest, licking lightly here and there. Arching into him, you whined as he rolled over to drop on the bed beside you.

“Wow,” he let out a heavy breath.

You giggled a little, turning onto your side to look up at him. “Was it like how you remember?”

Stretching his arm out across the pillows, he tucked it under your head and shrugged. “Quicker… but still hot.”

“ _Very_ hot,” you agreed.

“I wanna do that again… and again… and again.” He turned to you quickly, pressing a peck to your lips. “And again, and again, and again, and again, and-”

“Okay!” you laughed. “I get it.”

Chuckling, he leaned down to press a kiss to your neck. “Just making sure you got the message.”

“It was loud and clear. I got it.”

“Good.” Rolling you onto your back, he grinned down at you suggestively.

Your eyes went wide as you realised what he was trying to say without actually speaking. “Already? Seriously?”

“Not ready for more sex, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.” He winked. “After all, we’ve got seven years to catch up on.”

**Bamby**


	15. Chapter 15

**_Warnings_ : Explicit language. Fluff, but mostly angst :) also smut… which caught me by surprise.**

**Bamby**

Dean was peppering you with kisses as the two of you headed into the kitchen the next morning. You’d woken up early, knowing you had to get breakfast ready for Dakota… and also hoping you could sneak out of Dean’s room before she or Sam realised where you’d been.

“It’s not,” kiss, “that I’m scared,” kiss, “I just don’t want,” kiss, “Dakota to ask,” kiss, “questions,” kiss, “neither of us,” kiss, “can answer right now,” you finished right before Dean kissed you again.

His arm draped over your shoulder as he shrugged. “I get it. I’m not complaining. It’s complicated, you wanna wait and figure us out first, that’s fine.” Leaning in, he kissed you one more time. “Plus, Sammy is gonna be a pain in the ass once he figures this out,” he noted as the two of you parted and walked into the kitchen.

You were laughing, knowing exactly what he meant, but came to a stop as you spotted Dakota sitting at the dining table.

“Honey?” You walked over to her with a concerned frown. “What are you doing up so early?”

She shrugged, picking up a new pencil as she coloured in the book in front of her. “Jack woke me up.”

Dean came over to stand next to you, brows furrowing. It was clear he didn’t like that Jack had woken her. “Jack woke you up? Why?”

“To say goodbye.” She shrugged again.

It was then that you realised how sad she was. The way she was swinging her legs, her arms were tucked close to her, she refused to look up from the page as she lazily coloured in. She was barely holding back tears.

“Honey,” you reached forward to brush her hair out of her face, “where’d Jack go?”

“He left.”

You and Dean looked to each other before he dashed out of the room. You understood his concern… Jack had run off before. When he’d found you he’d left the brothers in an attempt to fix a mistake he’d made. No one told you what had happened, but you knew it had affected the boy. For him to run off in the middle of the night… something must’ve happened again.

Crouching down by Dakota, you grabbed her knees and turned her so she faced you. “Sweetie, I need you to look at me.” Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet yours. “What did Jack say before he said goodbye?”

“He told me he wanted to make things right. He said he wanted to make everyone happy. He promised he’d be back… but he said he might be gone for awhile.” Her lip wobbled ever so slightly. “And then he left.”

“Okay. It’s okay.” Reaching for her, you pulled her to your chest and hugged her as she began to cry. “It’s okay.”

“He left.”

“I know.” You stroked her back. “But he promised he’d come back, right? I’m sure he won’t be long.”

* * *

That day was difficult, to say the least. While trying to distract Dakota, you also had to deal with Dean and Sam they frantically tried to find the nephilim. Then there was Cas… who also seemed to be missing. Dean had called him over and over, but the angel just wasn’t picking up.

“The case we were on a couple of days ago… Cas called me,” Dean started as he stood with you in the kitchen, watching as you stirred the mince you were cooking up. “Something was wrong so we tracked him down, but when we got there…” He glanced over at Dakota and Sam at the table, making sure your daughter was still distracted. “Demons were waiting.”

You dropped the wooden spoon and tensed. “Demons?”

“It gets worse.”

Sighing, you squeezed your eyes shut. “Tell me.”

“We were gone for so long because we had… a prisoner.” Your head snapped in his direction and he quickly lifted his hands in defence. “We didn’t want to bring him here.”

“Good.”

“But… he does know about this place-”

“I need a gun.” Turning the stove off, you stormed out of the kitchen and headed towards the armoury.

Dean was hot on your tail, hurrying after you. “I promise, you’re safe.”

Turning on your heels, you glared up at him. “You just told me someone you held as a prisoner knows about this place. How does that make us safe? I told you! I told you if things got bad-”

“Don’t, please.” He grabbed your arms to hold you in place as his eyes pleaded. “I am not going to let _anything_ happen to you or Dakota. The guy won’t show up here. If he does he’s as good as dead. Sam and me, we’re gonna do whatever it takes to keep you both safe, I promise.”

Looking into his eyes, you continued glare- although it did soften ever so slightly. “I still want that gun. You and Sam are going to be out there looking for Jack. I want to be able to protect our daughter.”

“Anything you need.” He gave a firm nod. “Come on.” Sliding his hand into yours, he led you the rest of the way to the armoury. Once inside, he handed you a gun and directed you in front of the targets. “You remember how to-”

Before he could finish his question, you raised your gun and shot at the target, hitting it right in the head,

“Damn…” he breathed, stepping a little closer to you, “that was hot.”

Putting the safety on, you tucked the gun into the back of your pants and turned to him. “I’m not taking any risks.”

“You sure?” Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to your neck. “I wouldn’t mind taking _one_ risk.” Grabbing your waist, he pulled you flush against him and bucked his crutch against your stomach.

“Dean,” you moaned, tilting your head to let him suck at your throat, “we can’t do this right now.”

“I’m hard and you’re horny. No one is here. The door is closed, Sam and Dakota are drawing in the kitchen. We can be quick.” Dragging his lips up to your ear, he groaned as he continued to grind against you. “Please, baby.”

“Fuck. Fine.”

He moved quickly, turning you around and bending you over the counter in front of the targets. You held on tight as he pulled your gun out and set it by your hands before your pants were tugged down far enough. Undoing his belt, he then opened he jeans and pulled himself free before lining up.

The groan that came from him told you just how wet you were.

“This for me?” he asked as he began to push into you.

Nodding, you whimpered. “Always.”

Words failed the two of you after that. The room filled with the sound of his grunts and your moans as he fucked you hard and fast. It was about reaching your highs fast, getting there as quickly as possible.

Reaching under you, he rubbed at your clit to help get you there. With his fingers at work and his cock pushing into you at a delicious angle, you came screaming. He was right behind you, buck as he filled you with his seed, groaning the entire time.

His forehead rested on your back as he tried to catch his breath. “Fuck…”

“Come on.” You gave his thigh a pat. “I’ve got dinner to cook, and you’ve gotta figure out how you’re going to find Jack.”

“You’re not even going to enjoy this?” he asked, not making a move to do as you said.

“Oh I enjoyed it,” you assured him. “But there are things to do, Dean.” Pulling away from him, humming at the feel of him slipping out of you, you turned to him. “I’m gonna shower and then finish the spaghetti. You should try call Cas again. I know you’re worried about him.”

“He’s always getting himself in some trouble.”

“He’s a Winchester, it’s what you do.” Giving his chest a pat, you nodded to the door. “Come on.”

Sighing, he tucked himself away and followed you out of the room. “You know, we could just shower together. Save time and water.”

“This place has a magical amount of water, and nothing about us showering together would save time.” You grinned. “Suck it up buttercup.”

“You’re so bossy,” he mumbled as you reached your bedroom door.

Leaning up on your tiptoes, you kissed him quickly. “You love it.”

**Bamby**


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Fluff. Angst. Implied smut.
> 
> Bamby

Sighing, you walked into the kitchen, rubbing the back of your neck.

“How was your shower?” Dean asked as he sat at the kitchen table.

You groaned, plopping down on the seat next to him. “The shower was great… walking passed Dakota’s room, not so much.”

He frowned, looking away from his gun he’d been cleaning and turned to you. “I put her to bed an hour ago.”

“She can’t sleep.” You shrugged. “She’s worried about Jack _and_ Cas now.”

“Cas is fine,” he assured you. “Took a while, but he answered my call. He sounded a little off, but the guy is stressed. Told me he got our messages and is doing everything he can to find Jack.”

“Hopefully it doesn’t take him too long. Dakota misses them,” you sighed, leaning over to rest your head on his arm as he got back to cleaning his gun.

Sam jogged down the steps into the kitchen then. “I think she’s clean,” he noted, commenting on Dean’s obsessive behaviour with his gun.

“Anything on Ketch?” Dean asked, still working on the weapon.

“No.” Sam shook his head. “Checked every hospital in a 50-mile radius. Nada.”

Dean sighed, “Crazy son of a bitch probably pulled the bullet out with his teeth.”

“Yeah,” Sam scoffed.

“What about Jack?”

“I talked to Cas, he’s got nothing.” Sam shrugged. “Either we gotta find something in the lore or wait for Jack to make a mistake.”

“Yeah, well, ‘mistakes’ are what I’m worried about,” Dean noted, putting his gun down.

Before either of you could say anymore, Dean’s phone began to ring. You shifted your head on his shoulder and looked to the screen, only to frown at the ‘unknown’ number.

Reaching over, Dean answered and put it on loudspeaker. “Yeah?”

“ _Dean Winchester?_ ”

Sam slid into the seat across from Dean as you all focused on the phone. It was rare for the brothers to get a call from an unknown number. With their lives, it could mean anything, but in your experience ‘Unknown’ was never good.

“Who’s this?”

“ _I have something you might be interested in._ ”

“No, we’re happy with our cable provider. Thank you.” Dean went to hang up, but stopped as the person on the other end spoke up once more.

“ _What about your Nephilim?_ ”

Tensing, you pushed off Dean and started down at the phone with a mix of hope and suspicion.

“ _Word on the street is, he’s gone rogue._ ”

“Yeah? What street is that?” Dean asked, more suspicious than hopeful.

“ _Hell Street? Hell Avenue? Just Hell, really._ ”

Sam lifted a finger, catching yours and Dean’s attention before mouthing, “ _He’s a demon._ ”

Dean simply nodded as if to say duh.

“ _So what if I told you, I had a way to find your boy? Meet me at Smile Diner at 12:45_.” With that, the demon hung up.

“No.” You shook your head as soon as the line went dead. “Demons equal bad.”

“I gotta agree with her.” Dean nodded, looking across the table at his brother. “Everytime we work with demons we get screwed over. We’ve got enough on our plate, we don’t need this, too.”

“We’ve got nothing,” Sam countered. “No leads and no way to find Jack. If this is legit, if he’s actually got something that can help, we at least need to check it out. I’m not saying we trust him, but we need to try every avenue.”

* * *

You were leaning against the war room table, fingers drumming on the map as your eyes stayed glued to the floor despite everyone moving about around you.

Sam was on the phone, checking in with some hunters, while Dean was trying to assure Dakota that he and his brother wouldn’t be long. When she woke and you told her the brothers would be going out for work, she was instantly worried. They were often gone for days, and sometimes weeks, and with Jack gone too it made her panic.

“We’ll be back before dinner,” Dean assured her. “I’ll even try to bring you back something.”

“Just want you to come back.” She pouted.

He chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. “I will be back,” he promised before getting to his feet and moving towards you. “Hey.”

Shaking your head, refocusing, you looked up at him. “Hey.”

“You okay?”

“I don’t want you going. I don’t trust this guy.”

“I know,” he sighed, placing each foot on either side of your outstretched legs so he could get closer to you. “I don’t trust him either, but Sam is right.”

“Wish he wasn’t,” you grumbled.

He reached out to grab your hand. “Don’t worry about us.”

“Impossible.” Pulling him closer, you wrapped him up in a hug.

* * *

Sitting in the library, flicking through a lore book while Dakota sat in the fort- which was still in once piece- watching a movie, you were pulled from your thoughts as the bunker door opened. Out of instinct, you reached for your gun.

“We’re home!” Dean called.

“De!” Dakota squealed, scrambling out of the fort and hurrying of the to winding stairs as Dean and Sam descended them.

Dean barely had a second before Dakota was throwing herself at him, jumping in the air and towards his arms… that were not prepared. But he was quick, stretching one arm out to catch her midair, while managing to steady his other hand that held a take away box of food.

“Pie. Pie. Sammy, the pie.”

Swooping in, Sam caught the box before it could topple to the floor.

With her arms wrapped around Dean’s neck, Dakota beamed down at him. “You got pie?”

His arms wound around her waist, holding her on his side. “Of course. Gotta get pie for my main girls.”

“You hear that, Mummy?” Dakota snapped her head in your direction, flinging her hair into Dean’s face. “We’re De’s main girls.”

You smiled fondly at them both, nodding. “I heard. Now, why don’t we hop down and go eat some pie?”

“Or I could stay up here…” she suggested, leaning in to rest her head on Dean’s shoulder.

When you opened your mouth to protest, Dean beat you to the punch. “It’s okay. I’ve got her,” he assured you with an understanding tone and look in his eyes.

He got it. She was worried about her friend, and she’d been worried about him. Having Sam and Dean home so early restored some of her faith. It told her maybe things would be okay. But it her fear was still there, and still strong, so she needed cling to Dean to hold on to what little hope she’d managed to muster.

“Okay.” You nodded. “Come on, let’s go eat some pie.”

As you headed for the kitchen- where Sam had already disappeared to- you listened to Dakota and Dean behind you.

“What flavour did you get?”

“Cherry. I had a slice while I was out and knew you’d love it.”

“Ooh! I love cherry pie!”

“You love all the pies, huh?”

Dakota giggled, “Yeah.”

“Me too.”

* * *

Dean leaned in to press a kiss to you forehead. “She’s asleep.”

“Finally,” you sighed, sliding your hands up his chest to rest them on his shoulders. “She’s been all over you since you got back. Sorry about that.”

“You kidding?” He leaned down to kiss your neck. “I love it. Just wish she wasn’t so worried.”

“She’ll be okay once we get Jack home.”

His head dropped onto your shoulder. “I don’t trust this guy, but we need him. If this spell is real…”

“I know.” Pulling him away, you grabbed his hand. “Come on. Let’s go check on Sam, see if he’s got anything.”

The two of you walked out of the kitchen, hand in hand. Dean held you close, a little closer than usual. You knew he was worried, with his mum gone, Jack missing and Cas out looking for him, Dean’s family was spreading too thin. He didn’t like it.

Now that you two were somewhat together, he was keeping closer. An old Dean might’ve tried to get you to run as far a way as possible, but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. He needed you and Dakota right by his side.

Reaching the war room, you let each other’s hands go and separated ever so slightly as he took the lead. You were right behind him, following as he stepped up into the library where Sam was reading through the parchment the demon had gotten them.

“What’s the verdict?” Dean asked as he approached the table.

“The spell…” Sam scoffed, “I think it checks out,” he started. I put together a rough translation. Um, it’s Canaanite. Dates back to the time of King Solomon, who apparently commissioned it to keep tabs on the Queen of Sheba, who, according to the lore, was half-angel.”

Dean sat on the edge of the table where Sam was studying. “She was a nephilim? So, what you’re saying is that King Solomon created a spell so that he could stalk his girlfriend?”

“Wow… issues,” you mumbled, standing next to Dean.

Sam chuckled at your comment. “Yeah. And it looks like it works. Or it would work…”

“If we had the other half, which, without it, we got nothing,” Dean finished.

“Which you can’t get without working for a demon,” you added.

“Pretty much.” Sam gave a short nod.

Dean sighed, “Great.”

“Look, whatever game Bart is playing, I-I-I don’t wanna play it, but…”

Before Sam could go on, Dean interjected, “Sam, you know that these things don’t usually go our way.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Sam shrugged. “Jack is out there, in the world, and he’s alone and he’s scared and he’s dangerous. And if this is our chance to find him… we have to take it.”

Pushing off the table, Dean shook his head. “I get that, but it’s not just us anymore. I’ve got a kid.”

“And I get that, Dean. but Jack could hurt people. Or he could get hurt. Angels _and_ demons are after him. He won’t stay hidden for long.”

You looked to each brother, understanding their issues and arguments. In the end, it really only came down to one thing. “If it wasn’t for Jack, I wouldn’t be here. Neither of you would even know about Dakota. We would still be back in that place, both not really belonging in the lives we were stuck in. He saved us, and he brought us all together. He’s family… and we do anything and everything for family, no matter the risks.”

* * *

“We’re leaving in forty minutes,” Dean told you as he tugged his jacket off and dropped onto your bed.

You looked over at him with a grin. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready, then?”

“Already am.” He shrugged. “Sammy’s doing a little more research before we head off. He’s distracted, and I’ve got time. I wanna spend it with you. So…” he gave the bed a hard pat, “come over here.”

Chuckling lightly, you dragged your feet over to him and plopped down onto the bed. He pulled you close and pressed a kiss to your forehead. You snuggled into him, taking comfort in his warmth and smell.

Despite knowing what he and Sam had to do was right, you still had your reservations.

“I wish things were easier.”

He pulled you a little closer. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Still better than the other world. Didn’t have hot men sneaking into my room over there,” you grinned up at him.

Chuckling, he pulled away slightly so he could look down at meet your gaze. “No Hollywood suitors? No controversial lovers? No secret affairs?”

“Not for a few years at least.”

“Really?” he asked, seeming genuinely interested. “So… who was he?”

You shoved at his shoulder playfully and rolled onto your back, shaking your head. “We’re not doing this.”

“Why not?” He shifted so he was leaning on his elbow and looking down at you. “I wanna know.”

“No you don’t.”

“I hooked up with people while you were gone,” he noted.

“And?” you laughed lightly. “I didn’t expect you to turn celibate, Dean.”

When you didn’t go on, he pressed, “Oh, come on. I really wanna know. Please.”

“A journalist, a director, and a stunt performer. None of them lasted more than four months.”

“What about the dude that played me? Did you two… you know…” He couldn’t even say the words.

Looking up at him, you shook your head. “No. Never. He wasn’t you.”

All the other men were forgotten with those five words. Leaning in, he captured your lips in a deep and searing kiss. You moaned against him, lifting your hand to cradle his face. Rolling over, he slid his leg between your thighs and deepened the kiss.

Fingers plucked at clothes as you both undressed each other, eager for more. Craving it. Despite needing to be gone in less than an hour, Dean was determined to make the most of his time with you.

**Bamby**


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Fluff. Smut. Unprotected sex. Explicit language.
> 
> Bamby

“What if Jack never comes back?”

“He will.”

“What if he finds a new home?”

“He won’t.”

“We found a new home… he could, too.”

“He’ll be back,” you assured Dakota as she followed you around the bunker as you carried folded laundry to everyone’s rooms.

She sighed, “How do you know? Sam and De are worried about him. Castiel is looking for him. How do you know he’ll be back?” she asked as you set a pile of flannel shirts on Sam’s bed. “How do you know he’ll be okay?”

Plopping the clothes basket on the floor, you knelt down in front of her. “Dean and Sam and strong. They’ve saved the world a hundred times, and they will save it a hundred more. I know that, because I’ve seen it. And I know Jack will be back because Sam and Dean care about him, he’s family, and they won’t stop until he’s safe and sound.”

She looked down at the ground, still unconvinced. “How do you know Sam and De will be okay?”

“Because I believe in them.” You reached out to lift her chin so she’d meet your gaze. “Do you trust me?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Then trust me when I say, everyone is going to be fine.”

* * *

Sam had given you the keys to one of the cars in the bunker’s garage. Keeping you and Dakota busy, you headed into town to check out the school. Classes were starting soon, and even though you felt like you should discuss it with Dean, you decided to enrol Dakota then and there.

“You excited about your new school?” you asked as you drove back to the bunker.

Dakota shrugged, looking out the window. “Will I have to go every day?”

“Not on the weekends.”

“Will I be there _all_ day?”

“Not all day, no. You will have to wake up a little earlier, but then Dean will drive you to school.”

Gasping with excitement, she spun in her seat to face you. “Will he take me in Baby?”

“Probably, yeah.” You nodded. “But there are rules. No driving fast, and you have to be strapped in.”

“We can’t go fast sometimes?”

She was Dean’s girl, through and through. The pie, the music, the fashion, the love for cars. People use to make a few comments, especially Jared. He would mostly joke, but some people were concerned you were taking work home, or letting Dakota watch the show. No one suspected the truth, and why would they?

“I’m not going to say no, but I’m not going to say yes,” you answered. “ _Maybe_ on special occasions. But safety comes first.”

“Safety first.” She nodded firmly.

As the conversation died, you turned your attention back to the road, focusing on getting you both home. You wondered if Dean would mind, that you enrolled her in school. That made you wonder how you were going to explain your situation.

Dakota didn’t know Dean was her father. For most of her life, he hadn’t been around, hell he didn’t even know about her. If people figured it out, if you told people, it could confuse things. You weren’t even sure if you wanted Dakota to know yet.

“Hey Mum?”

“Yeah honey?”

“You think De and Sammy are okay?”

“I’m sure they’re just fine.”

* * *

“Hi.”

You turned on your heels in the library and came face to face with Dean. Without thought, you threw your arms around him in a tight hug, pulling him close.

“Thank God.”

“Nah, just Smash.”

“Huh?”

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head as he pulled back. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Looking over his shoulder, he gestured to the doorway that led to the bedrooms. “Dakota in bed?”

Sighing, you nodded. “Took a while, but I eventually managed to get her to sleep.”

“Rough day?”

“Understatement,” you scoffed as he grabbed your hand and started to lead you towards the kitchen. “When Dakota woke up and you guys were gone… she freaked out. I had to sit her down and explain that you were out for work again. But you didn’t come back when I thought you would, and she could see me getting nervous, so…”

“Things got messy. Didn’t go as planned,” he explained. “And then there was this girl.”

You stopped in your tracks and looked at him.

“Not like that.”

“I didn’t think like that.”

“Then why are you looking at me?”

“Because you didn’t call or text, and I got worried, and now I’m finding out you were with some girl.”

“It wasn’t like that,” he insisted.

“And I’m not saying it was, I’m just saying… why didn’t you call, or text?”

“Because I was dealing with a demon, and then I was dealing with a girl who is on the run because she sold her soul.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” He nodded as you both started walking again. “The demon that had her contract is dead, but we don’t know if that means she’s safe or that someone else will be coming to collect. We’re hoping it’s the first one.”

Entering the kitchen, you spotted Sam sitting at the table, looking defeated.

Your hand slipped from Dean’s before his brother noticed. “Hey.” Walking over to Sam, you slid into the seat across from him. “You okay?”

He sighed, “Yeah, not really. Not exactly the best day, you know?”

Dean walked over to the fridge and pulled out three beers. “Well, it’s not the worst,” he noted, opening the drinks. “We did save somebody. That felt good.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it did. But…” Sam took one of the beers as Dean offered it to him, “back to square one with Jack.”

“We’ll figure something else out,” Dean assured him as he took the seat beside you. “And if that doesn’t work, then we’ll move on to next, and then whatever’s after that. We just keep working, ‘cause it’s what we do.”

“It feels really good to hear you talk like that again.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Dean reached his bottle out.

The three of you clinked your drinks together before taking a sip.

Putting his beer back on the table, Sam looked to you. “So, how was your day?” he asked with a knowing gleam in his eyes.

“Oh _God_ … I thought I was going to have track you guys down and take Dakota to you could tell her you were going back home. I managed to distract her with the school, though.”

Dean pulled his drink away from his lips. “School?”

You looked to him guiltily. “Yeah… I enrolled her into the local school.” Before he could comment, you hurried to add, “And I know I should have talk to you first, but I had to do it. School is starting soon. I don’t want her to be behind. And I know you’re her dad, but I didn’t want you to confuse things.”

He reached out to rest a hand on your thigh. “It’s okay.”

“Wait… what?” You eyes darted from Dean to Sam and then back. “What?”

“It’s okay.” He shrugged. “Do I wish I could have been there? Yes, but I wish I could have been there for a lot of things. What’s more important is that I will be there. From now on, I will be there for her.” He gave you that smile that made your heart swell. One of those rare smiles where his walls dropped and he didn’t hide anything. “I’m just really glad you’re staying.”

* * *

Unable to sleep, you rolled onto your back to stare up at the ceiling. You couldn’t stop thinking about the day’s events, and Dean’s words.

He was okay with you enrolling Dakota in school without him… because he was happy you were staying.

Sure, the news wasn’t surprising. You knew he wanted you both to stay. You knew he wanted to be part of her life. You knew he wanted you close. What did surprise you, however, was how that made _you_ feel.

It made your head whirl with realisations you’d been blind to for far too long. Dean wanting you both around made you realise that you wanted to stay. You wanted to be here with Dean and Sam. You missed your old life, and the small snippet of it that you’d experienced since coming back was not enough, but you’d had a taste and now you wanted more.

Throwing your blankets off with a sigh, you pulled yourself out of bed. The ground was cold under your bare feet, but you didn’t let that deter you. Slipping out of your room, making sure the coast was clear, you then ducked down the hallway and headed for Dean’s room.

Tiptoeing into his room, you closed the door behind you before leaning your back against it.

“Dean? You awake?”

A groan in the dark room was followed by a groggy, “Y/N?” There was some shuffling before his bedside lamp flicked on. You watched him lean on his elbow in bed, rubbing at his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay…” He frowned at you, curiously. When you didn’t move, he pulled his sheets back. “Come on.”

Without a word, you hurried over and slipped under the blanket, snuggling in closer to him.

He jumped once your feet brushed his leg. “Son of a bitch! You’re freezing!”

“I just walked through the bunker half naked, Dean,” you noted, rolling onto your back to gesture at your lack of clothes- that consisted of panties and a flannel.

Dean’s eyes dragged their way up until he met your gaze. “If you woke me up in the middle of the night for a sneaky booty call… you have my attention.”

Grinning, you bit your lip and shook your head. “That’s not why I’m here. But it might be why I stay.” You gave him a wink.

“God, woman, you kill me,” he groaned, leaning in to press his lips to yours.

Before the kiss could deepen too far, however, you pushed at his shoulder. “Dean…”

“Mmm?” he hummed, trying to lean back in to catch your lips again.

“I want to stay.”

“Then stay, sweetheart.” He shrugged. “If you don’t want anyone to know, we’ll sneak you back out in the morning,” he told you before trying to lean in once more.

“No. Dean. I mean,” you looked up to meet his gaze, still pressing on his shoulder, “I want to stay here, in the bunker, with you, and Sam, and Cas, and Jack. I want to make this our home.”

He paused a moment before pulling back. “Really? You’re not just saying all of this for me, are you?”

“I’m not saying it _for_ you, but part of it is because of you. Dakota deserves to be with her dad, and you deserve to get to know your daughter. I’ve always wanted that, and I don’t wanna take the chance away from either of you now that it’s here,” you admitted.

“You’ve always wanted that?”

Watching him carefully, you frowned ever so slightly. “What, did you think I was over there in the other world rejoicing that my child would grow up without their father? Did you think I was happy you never knew you were a dad?”

“No.” He shook his head. “But I always thought you moved on. And when I saw Dakota, before I knew she was mine, I kinda assumed you’d made a life for yourself over there.”

“I made a life for her, not me,” You corrected. “I never got over this place, and I never got over you. This is my home.”

Reaching out, he gently grasped your chin and brushed his thumb along your cheek. “I never got over you, either.”

This time you were the one to lean in, capturing his lips in a deep kiss. As you deepened it, he fell back into the pillows. You followed him, lifting your leg to straddle his hips which he was quick to grab. Holding you in place, he nipped at your bottom lip, pulling a moan from you.

“Dean…” Reaching between the two of you, you slipped your hand into his briefs and wrapped your fingers around his cock. “Need you.”

“Fuck,” he groaned. “Y/N.”

Pulling back, you watched his face contort with pleasure as you stroked and squeezed his cock, while your other hand pulled your panties to the side. His eyes were barely open, but were trained on your hands as you guided him to your slit.

Sliding down his cock until he was snug inside you, your hands clutched at his shirt. You felt so full, so perfectly and completely full. No one and nothing felt as good as Dean. It wasn’t just his size, but it was the feel of him. His warmth. His smell. His touch. His voice. Everything with Dean was just right.

His head fell back and lips parted as you rode him slowly. The peek of his tongue between his lips made you shudder, thoughts of what that mouth could do springing to mind. Pressing your hands on his chest, you rolled your hips, feeling him pulse inside you.

“Miss this. Miss you,” he grunted, fingers digging into your hips. “Never stopped wanting you. Never stopped loving you.”

Your movements faltered as you looked down at him with wide eyes.

There was a short moment before he realised what he said.

“Shit, Y/N-”

“Did you mean it?” you asked suddenly, cutting him off. “Do you mean it?”

Pausing a moment, he swallowed thickly before giving a sharp nod. “I mean it.”

You threw yourself at him, pressing your lips to his in a clumsy kiss as your hips began to move again. Picking up the pace, fueled by his revelation and admission, you chased your orgasm quickly, bringing him to his just as fast.

“Fu-” he grunted against your lips, squeezing your hips so tightly you were certain you’d bruise.

Pulling back, you looked down at him with lust darkened eyes. “Come, Dean. Wanna feel it. Wanna feel you.”

“Fuck me.” Grabbing the back of your head, he pulled you back down to his lips.

When you both came, it was on a cry. Lips smashed together, your sounds were muffled as he spilled inside you, twitching and shaking, clinging to you desperately. You bucked fisting his shirt as you rode out the waves from your high.

Once you caught your breath, you dropped to the bed with a content sigh. Dean rolled onto his side and watched you as your chest heaved. Smiling up at the ceiling, you concentrated on catching your breath.

“You gonna keep staring at me?” you asked, turning your head to look at him.

He was shining with sweat, and his chest was rising more rapidly than usual, but the look in his eyes didn’t hint at what you’d just done. Instead of looking thoroughly fucked, they looked down at you deep in thought.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Just wondering… if that was you hinting at a breeding kink.” A grin tugged on his lips.

Rolling your eyes, you shoved at his shoulder. “Shut up.”

“What? It’s perfectly fine. Hell, the thought of you like that,” he reached over to run a hand over your stomach, “kinda gets me hot.”

“Really?”

“Seriously.” Your eyes locked and he held your gaze. You could see the truth, the honestly in his words. “I missed a lot while you were gone, and I hate that I can’t take back time and make it right.”

“We’re here now. That’s what matters.”

“I know.” He nodded. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want all of that. Doesn’t mean…” He took a deep breath. “I love you.” When you opened your mouth, he cut you off. “You don’t have to say it. I don’t want you to feel like you have to say it back. But I do love you, and I want a million rugrats with you, Y/N. I want dozens of Dakotas running around, and I want to be there for every second of it.”

“Dean…”

“I know you just got back. I know things are complicated. I know being a hunter makes it even more confusing. I know. And I’m not saying I wanna start now. And it’s not a deal breaker. If all I ever get is you and Dakota then I’ll still be the happiest man alive. But if you ever think you might want more-”

Before he could finish his sentence, you quickly leaned up and pressed your lips to his in a small peck. “If I ever want more, you’ll be the first to know. Promise.”

Smiling widely, he wrapped his arm around your waist and turned you around before tucking his chest up against your back. With him wrapped around you, you reached over and flicked the lamp off, sending the room into darkness. Sleep came easy after that.

**Bamby**


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Fluff. Drama.
> 
> Bamby

“Are you nervous?” you asked Dakota as you knelt in front of her, fixing the purple butterfly clip in her hair.

She chewed on her lip and shrugged. “A little.”

“It’s okay to be nervous,” Dean assured her as he came over to crouch down by your side. “I was nervous every time I started a new school.”

“You were?” She looked up at him with doe eyes.

“Oh yeah.” He nodded. “Sammy and me, we moved around a lot so I was always going to new schools. I would worry about people liking me, about being behind in class, about getting lost. It was really scary. But you know what?”

“What?”

“I was okay. I made friends, the teachers helped me, and I quickly realised there was no need to be worried.”

Her lips turned down in a pout. “But you had Sammy… I’ve got no one. And I’m a little girl. You were a big tough boy.”

“You’re a tough girl, Dakota. Toughest girl I know.”

“Really?”

“Seriously?”

“What about my mum?”

Dean glanced at you for a moment, but instead of watching him trip over his words you spoke up. “I get scared too, sweetie. Like right now. I’m scared.”

“You are? Why?”

“‘Cause it’s your first day and I’ll miss you.”

Her eyes fell to the ground, deep in thought, before she met your gaze again. “When school finishes we can get pie and I can tell you about my day,” she offered. “So then it’ll be like you were with me the whole time.”

Your lips pulled up into a smile as you reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’d like that.”

“Dean, you and Sammy can come too.”

“Thanks sweetheart.” He smiled at her. “Before you go, though, I got you something.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a green glittery pencil, with a white and gold unicorn at the end that was surrounded by green fluff.

She gasped excitedly. “That’s for me?”

“Yep.” He nodded, handing it over.

“It’s green like our eyes!” she exclaimed.

He chuckled lightly. “I know.”

“Thank you!” Throwing her arms around his neck, she held him close and tight before quickly pulling back. “Okay, I gotta go now. I’ll see you after school.” Spinning on her heels, she started running off towards the other kids. “Bye mum! Bye Dean!”

Getting to your feet you watched her nervously. Without thought, you brought you hand to your mouth and started chewing on your thumb nail.

“Hey.” Dean stood beside you, taking your hand away from your mouth gently. “She’s gonna be okay,” he assured you. “Come on, we should get back.” Leaning in, he pressed a gentle kiss to your temple before leading you to the car.

The whole time, even once you were sitting in your seat, and after he drove off, you watched the school nervously. While you knew you were doing the right thing, you couldn’t help but feel odd.

Since coming back to this world you’d had Dakota with you. Not once had you left her side, or at least left her alone with strangers. Even back in the other world she’d had people keeping an extra eye out because of who you were. But here, now, in this school… she was just a regular kid.

“This is a good thing.” Dean reached over to rest his hand on your thigh. “Don’t overthink it.”

“Easier said than done,” you grumbled.

“You know if anything ever happens, Sam and me will drop everything and anything to help her out. She doesn’t just have you watching her back now, she’s got a whole family.”

Finally, you felt some of those nerves dissipate. “I know.”

...

“Patience, hey. This is, uh, Dean Winchester,” Dean started, talking on his phone, as the two of you entered the war room. “Listen, I know that I, uh, told you to avoid this life, but, uh... me and my brother, we're– we're looking for someone.”

You smiled at Sam silently as you put the bag of food you’d brought home onto the table.

Dean plopped down onto one of the chairs, still leaving a message on the phone. “And we put an APB out with every hunter we know, and... nothing. We really could use a psychic's help on this. So... if you could call me back. Thanks.” Hanging up, he spoke to Sam without looking at him, “Any word from Cas?”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, focused on the laptop in front of him. “Uh, he says he's still looking for Jack, working a lead in Tucson.”

With Dean now off the phone, you reached for the paper bag and sug inside to retrieve the food. “Double bacon cheeseburger for you, and a gluten free, vegan breakfast burrito for the moose.” You handed the brother’s their food.

“Oh, you are an angel!” Dean exclaimed, grabbing his food and digging in.

“Thanks, Y/N.” Sam smiled widely at you. “So how was Dakota when you dropped her off?”

“She was fine once Dean gave her the unicorn pencil.” You nodded, taking a seat. “I think she was mostly nervous because I was, to be honest.”

“She’ll be okay,” he assured you. “Once you both get settled in to the new school and routine, you’ll both be fine.”

Dean’s phone started ringing then.

Swallowing the mouthful of food he’d shoved in his mouth, he grabbed and answered it on the second ring. “Hi Jody!” he said before putting the phone on loudspeaker.

“Hi Jody! What's going on?” Sam asked.

“ _ Hey boys, I got something for ya. Friend of mine from Bismarck PD called with a lead. He said that a local artist was found dead with his eyes burned out. _ ”

Dean, who had been picking at his burger, paused with a frown. “Sounds angel-y.”

“ _ Yeah, that's what I thought, except for that there was a witness– the victim's girlfriend. She pegged someone at the scene. She gave the police a description. I think its your boy. _ ”

Sam and Dean shared a look before the former’s gaze fell to the phone. “Uh, send us through the details and we’ll check it out, okay Jody?”

“ _ Sure thing, boys. _ ”

“Thanks Jody,” Dean called before the line went dead.

You sat there, staring at the now black screen. “So… you’re heading out.”

“We don’t know if it’s Jack,” Dean countered.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s Jack, Jill, or José, you’re heading out. Angels killing people is kind of a big deal, and definitely your thing.”

Sighing, he glanced at Sam before turning back to you. “We’ll be back before she needs to be picked up.”

“You don’t have to rush for us. We both understand that you’ve got a job to do.”

“Hey, no.” Reaching over, he grabbed your hand and held it until you met his gaze. “Dakota wants to eat pie and unwind as a family, and that’s what we’re gonna do. We will be back… I promise.”

…

“We’re gonna be back,” Dean assured you as he backed you up against his dresser. “We’ll be back before Dakota finishes school, and then we’ll all go out and eat pie, and then we’ll come back home and I’ll make it up to you.” Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to your neck.

Tilting your head to give him better access, you chuckled. “Make it up to me for what?”

“Ditching you.” He kissed you again. “On your first day without Dakota.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Sighing, he pulled back to meet your gaze. “I know, but I hate leaving you here on your own.” He pouted much like Dakota had earlier.

“God you two are so alike,” you mumbled to yourself. “Dean, seriously, I’ll be okay. I’ll do some laundry, maybe head into town to do some shopping. I’ll keep myself busy, and I’ll be fine.” Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pulled yourself closer to him. “And when you do come home, whenever that is, we’ll do the family thing and then the sneaky thing.”

“Mmm.” He gave your jaw a quick kiss. “Okay. It’s a deal. But for now, how about a quick preview of the sneaky?”

Laughing, you shook your head and pushed him back. “Nuh-uh, Winchester. The faster you get out of here the faster you’ll finish up and get home. So… off you go.” You nodded to the door.

“So bossy,” he grumbled, reaching for his bag as he backed up towards the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” You nodded, leaning back against his dresser. “Be safe!” you called as he walked out of the room.

...

Keeping your word, you made yourself busy. All day you plotted about, cleaning up or fixing things. You went out and bought some food to stock up the kitchen, you even picked up a few things that weren’t necessarily needed.

For Sam, you grabbed new headphones for his jogs and long road trips. For Dakota, you grabbed a few extra notebooks, and some knew hair clips. Dean, however, was a joint gift… you bought yourself new underwear which you knew he’d like.

As the afternoon rolled around and the time grew closer, you watched your phone with slight anticipation. While you hoped Sam and Dean would finish whatever they were doing, find Jack, and bring him home before Dakota finished school… you weren’t a fool. You knew things hardly ever ran so smoothly. So when the time came and you had to go, you weren’t really surprised when you slipped into one of the spare cars and headed out to pick Dakota up by yourself.

Drumming your fingers against the steering wheel, you tried not to think too much as you drove towards town. You tried not to worry as you turned into the school’s parking lot. You tried not to think about how Dakota might react as you pulled the car up.

The bell rang after a few minutes. You sat up straighter, focusing on the field that stretched across the buildings. You watched and waited, hoping and praying things wouldn’t go too badly…

When you saw her skipping along the grass, scanning the parking lot, you realised she was looking for the Impala. Sighing, gathering as much strength as you could muster, you slipped out of the car and moved to lean on the hood.

Once she spotted you, you gave a slight wave. Even with so much distance between you, you saw the moment her smile faltered.

Not moving a muscle, you waited as she hurried along- though not as enthusiastically- and headed your way. When she was certain she was close enough for you to hear her, she spoke up.

“Where’s Dean?”

Your face fell into a sad smile. “He had to go to work, honey.” lowering yourself down to your knees, you reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “He and Sammy might’ve found a lead on Jack, so they went out to look for him.”

“So… they’re helping Jack?”

“Yeah. They’re helping Jack.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “If they’re helping Jack then we can do pie later.”

“Really?” You were impressed that she let it go so easily. You were proud, too.

“Really. But maybe we should pick up some pie on the way home? Just in case they come back tonight.”

“Of course honey.” You smiled at her. “What flavour should we get?” you asked as you stood and held her hand, leading her to her side of the car.

“Pecan  _ and _ cherry. Just in case Dean doesn’t know which one he wants when he gets home.”

Chuckling, you opened the car door for her. “Sure. Pecan and cherry it is.”

…

Dakota’s bedtime rolled by and you’d heard nothing from either of the guys. Midnight came and you found yourself sitting at the war room table, waiting, staring at your silent phone. Still, you’d heard nothing. No text, no call.

After last time, you were certain Dean would’ve reached out, but he hadn’t. Despite that, though, you were doing everything you could to stay calm. You didn’t want to worry. You didn’t want to freak out and then find out they had no cell service or something.

Time kept ticking and your phone remained silent. Your anxiety grew with each passing moment, even though you were trying your best to keep it under wraps.

When you gave up waiting and chose to go to sleep, you found that you couldn’t for hours you tossed and turned, grunting and groaning. Eventually you found yourself staring up at the ceiling. Eventually your alarm went off, telling you it was time to get up and to get Dakota ready for school.

You hadn’t slept a wink… and you hadn’t heard from the Winchesters.

**Bamby**


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Fluff.
> 
> Bamby

You were officially panicked. Two days had passed and you hadn’t heard from Sam or Dean. Cas was MIA again, and you knew no one else. You had no one’s number. You were alone… well, almost alone.

Standing by your car, you watched as Dakota walked over the school field. Right away she could tell Sam and Dean weren’t back… the fact they weren’t with you was a dead giveaway of course.

“Hey.” You got to your knees in front of her. “So… they’re not back.”

“Have they called?”

“No.”

“Are you worried about them?”

“No,” you lied. “Are you?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Well… I have an idea. How do you feel about a road trip?” 

“Where would we go?”

“My home town. Sioux Falls.”

“The place you named me after?”

Humming, you nodded. “Yeah, sweetie. I know people there that might know where Sam and Dean went. Now come on.” You stood and grabbed her hand, leading her to her door. “We’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”

…

Driving through Sioux Falls was just as it had been all those years ago. You even recognised a few people walking around the streets. It almost felt like time hadn’t passed.

You hadn’t been wrong when you said it would be a long drive. Having packed before hand, you at least didn’t have to worry about wasting time getting her ready, but it was still a five and a half hour long drive. With Dakota, however, you had to stop a few extra times on the way.

By the time you reached Jody’s it was nearly eleven at night, and you felt guilty as all hell. But you had nowhere else to go, and you needed to get Dakota into bed- having her sleep in the backseat wasn’t exactly ideal.

Taking a deep breath, you slipped out of the car and headed into the back. Carefully, you reached in and grabbed Dakota, lifting her out of her seat.

She groaned, waking up. “Mum?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Are we there yet?”

“We’re here,” you answered, holding her close as you closed the door with your hip.

Looking at the house you’d known for most of your life, you started towards the front door. Inside you could see a couple of lights on, but for the most part it was pitch black. Reaching the door, you took another deep breath before giving a few quick knocks.

A moment passed before the door opened, revealing a young brunette woman. She looked from you to Dakota, a little confused. “Hi?”

“Hi… um… hi…” You pulled back to double check that the sheriff's car was in fact parked in the driveway like it had been when you pulled up. “Does, uh… does Jody Mills live here?”

“Alex? Is someone-” Jody cut herself off as she rounded the corner and spotted you. Her eyes almost bugged out of her head as her jaw dropped. “Y/N?”

You gave a nervous smile. “Hi.”

“Wow…” Stepping up to Alex- the girl who’d answered the door- Jody looked from you to Dakota. “Oh… wow.”

“Do you mind?” you asked, gesturing into the house. “It’s been a long drive.”

“Yeah, of course. Of course.” Jody nodded as both women stepped aside so you could walk in.

With a quick nod as thanks, you ducked inside and headed into the living room that was joined to the entrance. You stepped up to the couch and set Dakota down, making sure she was okay before you turned to the two waiting and watching women.

“So,” Jody started. “I’m sorry, it’s just… last I heard you were stuck in some other universe.”

“Wait, what?” Alex looked between the two of you. “Someone mind catching me up here?”

“Right, you two haven’t met,” Jody realised. “Y/N, this is Alex. Alex, this is Y/N… she was a hunter. Is a hunter?” she corrected before shrugging. “Either way, she was accidentally left behind in another world.”

“Almost seven years ago,” you filled in.

Alex’s eyes went wide. “Oh, wow.”

“Yeah.” Jody nodded.

“And that’s?” Alex gestured to your daughter.

“This is my daughter, Dakota,” you answered as she gave a little wave.

“Do you know where De and Sammy are?”

“Sweetie.” Turning to her, you got to your knees and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Why don’t I get you settled in bed and then I’ll talk to Jody?”

“Okay.” She nodded slowly. “I’m really sleepy.”

“I know.” You gave her a small smile before getting to your feet and picking her up. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Jody shook her head. “Of course not. The spare bedroom is the last door on the right.”

“Thank you.” Ducking passed the women, you headed in that direction to get your daughter to bed, knowing that once she was settled you were going to have to answer a lot of questions.

…

Walking back into the living room, you found Jody and Alex sitting on the lounge, waiting for you. The two fell silent as you entered, watching as you stopped in the doorway.

Shifting on your feet, thumbs tucked into the loops of your jeans, you smiled awkwardly. “So… I guess you have questions.”

“I didn’t even know you were back,” Jody noted. “How long-”

“A couple of months now.”

“ _ How _ ?”

“Jack,” you answered. “He was trying to find Sam and Dean’s mum and ended up finding me instead. Well… he found  _ us _ .”

“Dakota.”

“Yeah.” You nodded, waiting for the inevitable.

The three of you fell silent, no one willing to say the obvious. You weren’t sure if you were ready to tell people outright, and they weren’t sure if it was a safe question to ask. It was all very fickle and awkward.

Finally, Alex cracked.

“Look, I don’t mean to pry, but Dakota… I can’t be the only one who sees it.”

“She looks like Dean,” Jody filled in. “Like  _ exactly _ like Dean. And the timeline…”

“Yeah. She’s his,” you answered the unasked question.

“Does he know?” Jody asked carefully.

“He knows. She doesn’t.”

Jody nodded, understanding. “So… I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.”

“No, it’s not.” You rocked on your heels. “I would’ve called first, but-”

“It’s okay, Y/N. What’s wrong?”

“It’s Sam and Dean… they’re missing.”

...

After explaining as much as you could to Jody, she’d sent you off to bed. As much as you all knew sleep wouldn’t come easily, she also knew you needed to at least get some rest for Dakota’s sake.

Space was minimal, which meant you were bunking with Dakota. You didn’t mind, though. Sharing a bed with her, having her close, it helped ease your worries ever so slightly. At least then you knew she was okay.

A little groan woke you from the half sleep you found yourself in.

“Mummy?”

“Hey.” You smiled down at Dakota, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Morning.”

“I’m hungry,” she grumbled.

You chuckled lightly. “Come on, let’s see what Jody’s got for breakfast.”

Climbing out of bed, the two of you padded out of the room and down the hall, headed for the living room. Rounding the corner to the kitchen and dining room, you found Jody, Alex and another girl- who looked to be in her teens- already up and about.

“Morning.” Jody smiled brightly at you and your daughter. “Toast?”

“Yes please.” You nodded at her as you directed Dakota to the dining table.

Across from where you set here was the teen, watching silently and curiously.

“Oh right, Patience, this is Y/N and Dakota. They’re friends of Sam and Dean,” Jody introduced. “Patience here can, uh…” She glanced at Dakota. “She can see things.”

Reaching into your pocket, you pulled out your phone and turned on an episode of Paw patrol on YouTube before handing it to Dakota. As her eyes stayed glued on the screen, you then handed her some toast, knowing food and TV would keep her distracted.

“You see things that aren’t there, or things that haven’t happened yet?” you asked.

“Haven’t happened yet,” Patience answered.

You nodded. “Seen anything about… the brothers?” You knew saying their names could risk catching Dakota’s attention.

She shook her head in response.

“Hey.” Jody came over to rest her hand on your back comfortingly. “We’re gonna find them.”

“I know.”

“Good.” She smiled at you. “Now come on. Sit down and dig in.” She nodded to one of the spare seats. “There’s plenty of room.”

“Here.” Alex came over and took one of the spare seats as she put two cups of coffee on the table. “Hope that’s how you like it.”

“Thanks.” You slid into the seat beside her.

Dakota continued to nibble on her food and watch your phone’s screen. Patience ate quietly, but listened to every word exchanged. Jody stayed in the kitchen a while longer, fixing up a big batch of toast for everyone. Alex sipped on her coffee and talked away about her job, knowing Jody hung on every word.

With everything going on… going wrong… it was nice. To be sitting at a table, having breakfast, with women who understood you but didn’t define themselves of the drama and chaos of their lives… you felt nice.

For the first time in days, you actually relaxed.

**Bamby**


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I’ve been sick and then super busy catching up with uni work, so sorry for the delay in an update...
> 
> Warnings: Angst. Fluff.
> 
> Bamby

You and Dakota were in the bedroom, getting her dressed after a shower. She hadn’t spoken much, and was clinging to you like a magnet. The girl was terrified.

Not being able to reassure her, seeing her uncertainties mirrored in her eyes- eyes that looked so much like Dean’s- broke your heart.

“Can I stay in here?” she asked, voice small, gaze on the ground as she stood in front of you.

Kneeling on the ground, you tried to tilt your head to meet her eyes, but she avoided you. “Okay, just… if you need me I’ll be out in the living room with the girls.”

Humming and nodding, she turned away from you and climbed onto the bed, grabbing your laptop. You stayed where you were and watched as she opened it and turned on My Little Pony. She seemed content enough, sitting there and watching the show, so with  sigh you left the room, making sure the door was open a crack for her.

Walking down the hall, it didn’t take long for you to hear voices and notice the new one.

“Are you a hunter?”

“Psychic,” Patience answered the new voice.

“Cool. You’re wearing my sweatshirt.”

“Uh, Jody-”

Before Patience could continue the new voice cut her off, “Is she sleeping in my room too?”

“Actually, she’s in the guest room… but your room isn’t empty.”

Right as Jody finished, you walked into the living room. All eyes turned to you but yours were focused on the blonde teen girl who you recognised in an instant.

“Well crap… Claire, you grew up into… something else.”

Jimmy Novak had been a brief moment but one you hadn’t forgotten. When Cas had been pulled from his vessel and the brothers had to keep an eye on him, you were lucky enough to get dragged in. You’d been lucky enough to know his daughter for five minutes, but that had been enough.

You’d sympathised with the family, but especially with Claire, and when it came to Jimmy saying goodbye to them, when it came to him choosing to leave in order to save his daughter from Cas’ possession… it had broken your heart.

Her eyes looked you up and down as if she didn’t know you.

“Claire this is-”

“Y/N,” she cut Jody off. “I remember.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Where have you been? ‘Cause it’s been years and Sam and Dean haven’t said a word. Thought you were dead.”

“I was trapped in an alternate universe.”

“Well damn.” She paused a moment, still checking up out, before asking, “You the one in my room?”

“Me and my daughter, yeah. If that’s a problem-”

“You have a daughter? Must be young, ‘cause you didn’t have one last time we met.”

“She’s almost seven.”

“Cool.” She nodded, clearly disinterested. “Okay, so… Sam and Dean, what do we know?”

* * *

“ _Hey Jody, thanks for your help earlier. So listen, we’re looking for someone, Kaia Nieves. She might be the key to saving Mom. So if you hear anything…_ ”

“ _Gotta go, call you later._ ”

You sat on the couch with the rest of the women, listening to Sam and Dean on Jody’s voicemail. It wasn’t the first time you’d heard the message, Jody had played it for you last night before you’d headed off to bed. Just because it wasn’t the first time you heard it, however, doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

Dean was tense, more tense than usual. You could hear it in his tone. The guy was on edge, almost angry and desperate.

“Ow.” Claire flinched back from Alex who was fixing up a cut on her face.

Alex scoffed at her. “Baby.”

“That was three days ago, I haven’t heard anything since,” Jody explained, staying focused on the voicemail while her daughters bickered.

“What about the girl? Kaia?” Claire asked, swatting Alex away to grab at Kaia’s rap sheet as it sat on the coffee table.

“Yeah I ran her name through the system, she was picked up for possession in Minnesota and then she escaped from court ordered drug rehab three days ago. Warrant out for arrest,” Jody noted.

“Check the rehab centre and the local hospitals,” Claire suggested.

Ignoring Claire’s attempts at pushing her away, Alex kept trying to fix up her cut. “Already did.” Finishing up, she packed everything back into the first aid as she looked to Jody. “You going to be okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright.” With a sigh she stood and began to head for the front door.

“Where are you going?” Claire called out, stopping her.

Coming to a halt, Alex paused a moment before turning to her sister. “Night shift,” she answered shortly.

“So Sam and Dean are missing and you’re bailing?”

“I have a job, Claire.”

“Huh.” Claire leaned back in her seat with a shrug. “So do I, it’s called hunting.”

It was obvious that this wasn’t the first time this conversation had been brought up, and it was obviously getting on Alex’s last nerve. She understood, however, that Claire wasn’t the kind of person to argue with. You got the feeling she didn’t back down easily.

So, instead of responding, Alex gave Jody a tight smile. “Good luck.” This time when she went to leave there was no stopping her.

Once the door was closed, Claire turned to Jody. “What is she talking about? Hmm?”

“Claire...”

“If this is about me hunting alone, I know I should’ve called more, but I’m fine. I’m good! I’m safe.”

“No, you’re not!” Jody exclaimed. “Patience had a vision, that’s why she’s here.”

All eyes turned to Patience.

Looking from Jody to Claire, Patience swallowed nervously before explaining, “I… I saw you die.”

“Mummy?”

_Shit._

You jumped to your feet just as Dakota came around the corner, clutching at her pillow. She looked tired, but mostly scared and sad. It was getting more and more heartbreaking seeing her like that…

“Hey.” You smiled as she headed your way. Getting to your knees, you waited for her to stop in front of you before you asked, “What’s up, bub?”

“Hungry,” she mumbled, eyes glancing over your shoulder at the women behind you. Her attention seemed to be focused on one person in particular. “Who is that?”

Looking back at who she was staring at, you spotted Claire watching her intently. “That’s Claire,” you answered, turning back to Dakota. “That’s Jody’s other daughter.”

“Is she De and Sam’s friend, too?”

“Yes she is.”

“Does she know where they are?”

“No, sweetie, but she’s gonna help us look for them,” you promised, rubbing her arms up and down. “Now why don’t we see if we can get you something to eat, huh?”

“I got her.” Jody got to her feet and offered her hand to your daughter. “Come on. I think we’ve got some left over pizza in the ridge.” She winked and smiled.

Dakota’s lips tugged into a smile of her own as she took Jody’s hand and let her led her into the kitchen.

Once you were sure she was out of earshot, you turned to Claire.

“She’s your daughter.”

“Yes.”

The way she was watching you made it clear there was more she wanted to say, but instead she kept her mouth shut and turned to Patience. “So every vision you have, it always comes true?”

“I don’t know,” Patience admitted. “I’m still figuring all this out.”

“So you might be wrong.”

Jody returned then, having set Dakota up at the dining table with cold pizza and Paw Patrol on her laptop. Making sure your daughter wasn’t listening, she then turned to her own. “Claire this is serious, I’m trying to protect you,” she told her, trying to keep her voice down.

“Jody, that’s always your excuse. Every time we’d go out on a hunt together you’d take care of the monster while I’d just wait in the car.”

“That happened one time.”

“It happened every time, Jody!” Claire countered. When Jody gave her a pointed look and gestured to your daughter, Claire snapped her mouth shut and took a moment before speaking again, this time a little more gentler, “You, you’ve never even seen what I can do.”

“Claire, if I put the brakes on you it’s because you can’t go dive bombing into every fight…”

“Yes I can,” Claire argued, getting to her feet to be on Jody’s level. “That’s how you save people. Sitting back and making the perfect plan, losing time, that’s how people end up dead.”

“And if you end up dead?”

There was a pause. Jody was pleading with her daughter, begging her to understand and step down. Claire was measuring the thought, reading Jody’s expression, and weighing her options. Unfortunately, she didn’t pick the way her mum hoped.

“I won’t.” She turned and walked to the dining table.

“Claire, you can’t just run away from this.”

“Watch me.” Grabbing her jacket from the back of one of the chairs and stormed out the front door.

The silence that followed was practically deafening and highly uncomfortable.

“Is she okay?” Dakota asked, causing everyone to turn to her.

Smiling, you shrugged as you headed her way. “She’s as okay as she can be with her friends missing.”

“She misses Sam and De, too?”

“Yeah.” You nodded, taking a seat next to her.

“We’ll find them. I know we will.” Reaching over, she slid her plate over towards you. “Want some pizza? You gotta eat, too.”

Your smile grew, becoming more genuine as you reached over to take one of the slices. “Thanks sweetie.”

She gave a sharp nod and turned back to her show. “You’re welcome.”

* * *

“I have to go find Claire.”

Turning n the doorway where you’d been watching Patience and Dakota watching Paw Patrol in the living room, you looked to Jody. “I get it.”

She smiled, looking over your shoulder at the girls. “You did a good job with her.”

“And you did a good job with your girls.”

You could practically see her heart swell as her eyes met yours. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. If Claire gets her before me-”

“I’ll call you,” you assured her. “And I’ll keep an eye on Patience.”

Reaching over, she gave your arm a squeeze. “Thank you.”

“Pretty sure I should be the one thank you.”

Letting your arm go, she smiled against before reaching for her jacket and heading out the front door. Once the wooden barrier was closed once more you turned back to the girls.

* * *

By the time Jody returned you’d managed to get Dakota in bed and semi-asleep. She was tired, but she was too worried to actually rest, so you just tucked her in and set her up with My Little Pony. Once you were certain she’s stay in bed and slowly drift, you headed out to join the others in the garage.

Opening the door and slipping in, you didn’t even flinch at the thing that they’d laid down on the table in the middle of the room.

“Wow.” You stepped up to Alex as she pulled on some latex glove. “Anyone got any idea what this thing is?” you asked.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jody told you.

She wasn’t the only one who hadn’t seen anything like it. Out of all the monsters you’d dealt with in you hunter years, nothing had been quite like this. Or smelt like it.

The thing was slimy all over, with a layer of clear gooey stuff that covered it’d skin and clothes. You deduced that it was some kind of protective layering, perhaps to keep with safe from whatever elements they might be foreign to. Their clothes were all black, and a little chunky. It was a very primitive look, which just added to the intimidating feel of the creature.

It’s skin was what really caught your attention though. It was so pale, so stark, that you could see it’s bone structure and more veins than would be healthy on a human. It wasn’t a sight you’d easily forget.

“So…” You eyed the beast, leaning in to get a better look. “What’s under this?” Reaching out, you flicked the gas-mask-like thing it wore.

Alex shrugged. “Let’s find out.”

As Alex pulled the mask from the monster’s face, the smell intensified as long strings of the slime covering the thing followed the mask.

It smelt like wet, mouldy debris, and rotting meat. Like if you were to roll over a dead body in the woods and release the smell of the leaves, and dirt, and mould underneath.

Patience scrunched up her face and pulled back. “Oh god.”

“Don’t scream.,” Alex teased.

“Might puke,” Patience countered. “What is that?” she asked as Claire and Kaia- who they’d found at the hospital- walked in.

Jody shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“She does.” All eyes turned to Claire as she looked at Kaia. “It’s okay, you can tell.”

Hesitantly, Kaia stepped forward, keeping her eyes on the creature on the table. “Umm... I’m a dreamwalker. It means when I sleep I see another world, this other dimension.”

“Seriously?” Patience asked.

Kaia nodded. “The Bad Place, it’s where that came from.” She gestured to the creature. “Your friends, Sam and Dean, they wanted me to help them open a door to another world and we did but something went wrong.”

Jody frowned, a little confused. “Okay so then how did this thing end up here?”

“The door is still open,” Claire answered, a small smile on her lips. “If we find it we find Sam and Dean.”

“No.” Kaia shook her head. “If they’re there, they’re already dead.”

Your stomach dropped.

* * *

You were pacing, freaking out, trying not to spiral into a full blown panic. With nothing to keep you distracted, you mind kept concocting images of Sam and Dean dead. The idea of them being gone, after having only just getting them back, made you literally sick.

“I’m gonna throw up.” Dashing from the kitchen, you were headed for the bathroom when the front door suddenly burst open.

“We have to go. Now,” Patience ordered.

The look on her face told you she’d passed the level of panic you’d been trying to avoid.

“What?” Claire pushed off from the couch and stepped up to the other young woman.

“Those monsters? They’re coming. Lots of them,” Patience explained.

You groaned. “Can we not catch a break already?”

“They’re after me,” Kaia noted, so sure of herself.

Those words seemed to push a button inside Claire, making her stand straighter and stronger. “Then we should stay and fight.”

“There’s too many, they’ll kill us,” Patience argued.

“Maybe, maybe not.”

Before you could tell Claire she was being a fool, Patience stepped up to her. The look she gave the blonde girl was one of frustration and determination.

“Look, I gave up a lot to come here. To do what was right, to save you. You want to brush that off? You want to think I’m a fake, fine. But I’m telling you right now we’re all in danger.”

There was no doubt in your mind that she believed every word coming out of her mouth, and that was enough for you.

“Jody, Alex, you’re in the car with me and Dakota. Patience, you’re taking Claire and Kaia,” you ordered, reaching for your coat. “Everyone start moving, _now_. The more distance we can get between us and them, the better.”

No one argued. Either surprised by your sudden orders, or understanding the severity of the situation, everyone did as you said and got moving, hurrying out of the place and fast as possible.

* * *

You were behind the wheel, speeding down the road, away from Jody’s. Patience was right behind you. Before you all left, Claire had grabbed a computer that was connected to the security cameras in the house. You had no doubt she was watching whatever was going on in the house, and you had no doubt it was horrifying.

“Hey.” Jody reached over to rest her hand on your shoulder. “We’re gonna be okay.”

“How do you know that?” you asked, trying to keep your voice down.

Dakota and Alex were behind you in the backseat. Ales was listening, while also looking out the window. She seemed relatively calm. Dakota was fast asleep once more. You knew, however, that she wasn’t going to stay asleep for much longer.

“What am I supposed to do now, Jody? Before, at your place, I knew she was safe. Now? Now we’re out here, without a shelter for her to stay secure in. Without a clue as to what’s going on. We still don’t know where Sam and Dean are, or if they’re still alive-”

“They’re alive,” she assured you. “If anyone can survive the ‘Bad Place’ it’s those two boys, and you know it.”

“Surviving it, and making it out of there before the door closes, are two very different things. How am I supposed to save them, and protect my daughter?”

She watched you carefully, hesitating before she suggested, “Do you want to sit this out?”

Your head snapped in her direction briefly before you turned back to the road. “What?”

“We’re here for you, Y/N. We won’t stop until we find the boys, you have my word. If this is too much, if you’re worried about Dakota… no one will blame you if you decide to go back to the bunker.”

“I would,” you corrected her.

“You would what?”

“I would blame myself. If anything happened to you or your girls. If anything happened to Sam and Dean.” You shook your head, tightening your grip on the steering wheel. “What kind of mother would I be if I left my daughter’s father’s life in the hands of others? I know I can do this, and that’s enough for me to know I need to be there. When Dean comes back through the portal I need to see it for myself, and I need to reassure him that she’s safe.” You gestured behind your shoulder. “I need to be there.”

“Okay then.” Jody gave a tight nod. “Then we’ll figure out everything else when the time comes.”

**Bamby**


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Fluff.
> 
> Bamby

You jumped out of the car and reached for the door behind yours, opening it up to find Dakota stretching her arms and legs.

“Come on, you.” Reaching in, you unbuckled her belt and pulled her out of her seat.

She yawned as she clung to you, not exactly making it easy to get her out of the car. You didn’t say anything, though, because you needed her close. Soon things were going to get messy, and you needed this moment where everything was fine. Having her close meant she was safe, which meant you could breath easily for now.

“Why are we stopping?” Kaia asked as she got out of Patience’s car which was parked by yours.

Everyone was moving to stand between the two vehicles when Jody answered, “We’re taking a breather. I called in some backup.”

Patience shoved her hands into her pockets. “Like what, the National Guard?”

“Oh, better,” Jody assured her.

Right on time, a car honked as a pickup drove down the road and by the edge of the lake where the rest of you were. Standing there, with Dakota on your hip, you watched as the truck parked before the door opened and a woman jumped out.

She smiled widely at your group. “Hiya ladies.”

Alex didn’t waste a moment before heading over to the newcomer. “Hey Donna.”

Donna wrapped her up in a tight hug before looking over Alex’s shoulder at Claire. “Okay, you too Rainbow Bright, come on bring it in.”

Claire’s lips actually tugged into a smile before she joined the hug.

“Patience, Kaia, this is Sheriff Donna Hanscum. She’s uh, she’s killed a lot of vampires.”

“Vampires?”

Everyone paused at the small sound of your daughter’s voice. It was easy to forget a child was around when tensions were high...

“Oh gosh, Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

You shook your head at Jody reassuringly. “It’s okay.” Setting your daughter on the ground, you crouched down in front of her, and grabbed her hands. “Hey.”

Her eyes looked to the other women. “Mummy, what’s going on?”

“Okay, so…” _Might as well get it over and done with._ “You remember the show I was in, when we lived in that other world?”

She nodded quickly. “Supernatural. You worked with Uncle Jen, Jare, and Mish.”

“Exactly.” You smiled up at her. “You remember how I wouldn’t let you watch it because of all the monsters?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Well… in this world, those monsters are real. And in this world there are people who really fight them.” You looked over your shoulder and gestured to Jody. “You see her?”

“Yeah.”

“She fights monsters, _and_ she’s a cop,” you explained. “And Claire? She was hunting a werewolf before she came home.”

“What about Alex?”

“She’s a nurse, so when everyone comes home with cuts and bruises, she fixes them up.”

“And Patience?”

“Oh she’s special,” you started, smiling up at your daughter as she looked at all the women. “She can see the future.”

Her eyes went wide. “Really?”

“Really.” You nodded. “And Kaia.” You gestured to the girl in question. “She can travel to different worlds in her sleep.”

“Wow.” Dakota was in awe.

Looking up at her, seeing the way she looked at them, it made your heart swell. Hiding the truth from her had been hard but something you thought you’d always have to do. The world you were in before had its own dangers, and that included the lack of belief. If you were to say something back there it could have put you in an asylum.

Here, however, things were different. Things were less black and white. But with those murky grey moments came two facts. One, monsters were real here, and so danger levels were higher. Two, you didn’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not… you didn’t have to lie or act anymore.

“Are you a hunter, too?” she asked suddenly.

“I was,” you admitted. “And then I had you.”

Her brows furrowed. “So you don’t hunt the bad guys anymore?”

“Well, I gotta be home to keep you safe.”

“Who keeps everyone safe, then? There’s lots of monsters, we need lots of hunters.”

“There are lots of hunters. Sam and Dean are hunters, too.”

“So every time they leave they’re out hunting?”

“Exactly.”

“And you’re at home.”

“Yeah…”

“So they could get hurt because you’re not helping them?”

 _Ouch._ “It’s not like that, sweetie. Someone has to be home to take care of you.”

“I go to school now,” she countered. “And we have friends.” She nodded to the other women. “There are people who can take care of me while you go to work. Back in the other world you would work really late and Cliffy would take care of me.”

“Back in the other world I didn’t have to worry about monsters.”

“There’s monsters everywhere, Mummy. Just because there’s vampires here doesn’t mean this world is more dangerous.”

Your daughter’s intelligence often surprised you. The way she could so easily understand and accept things… it amazed you. But then you’d remember who her father was and it all made a little more sense.

“You should hunt, and you should help Jody find De and Sammy.” Her mind was made up, there was no getting out of it now.

“Okay.” You nodded. “Okay.” Getting to your feet, you turned to everyone else. “You heard the girl. We’ve got some Winchesters to save.”

Donna smiled widely. “You got yourself a strong girl there.”

Pride filled you as you looked down at Dakota who was now standing strong and determined. “I know.”

“Anywho, so, I brought the basics.” Donna turned to the back of her truck and opened it up, revealing a trunk full of weapons.

“Ooh!”

You reached out to put an arm in front of your daughter. “Look with your eyes, not with your hands.”

“Why do you have all this?” Patience asked as she stepped up to the trunk.

“I’m from Minnesota.” Donna shrugged, smiling widely once more.

“Kaia,” Jody called, catching your attention. “Where were you when this went down with Sam and Dean?”

“I don’t know.” Kaia shook her head. “We were heading west out of Mankato towards Sioux Falls.”

“So Route 14,” Donna filled in.

Kaia went on, “We got run off the road. We pulled into an abandoned boatyard, I didn’t see a sign.”

Alex pulled out her phone and did a quick search. “There’s a Larsen Brothers shipyard just off Route 14, shut down in ’08.”

Jody looked to Donna. “We’ll check it out?”

“Yeah.” Donna gave a quick nod.

“I’m going, too,” you told them.

“Okie, but what about…?” Donna gestured to Dakota.

“I got her.” Patience stepped over to your daughter. “I’m not much of a fighter, and someone has to make sure she’s safe.”

Shrugging, Donna reached into the back of her truck and pulled out a shotgun. “You ever used one of these?” she asked Patience, who promptly shook her head. Donna stepped up to her and handed the gun over. “Aim in their general direction, relax and squeeze. Squeeze, don’t pull.”

Patience looked down at the gun with uncertainty. “I don’t-”

“I would feel safer if you had that with you,” you noted. “Here.” Stepping up to her, you handed your car keys over. “When things get crazy, get in the car and drive. Don’t stop. If they’ve caught our scent they’ll follow the cars. If you keep moving you shouldn’t _need_ the gun, but you should still have it just in case.”

“Just in case.” She nodded slowly. “Okay.”

...

Donna was looking out of her window with some binoculars, checking out the abandoned shipyard.

“You think this is the place?”

“Oh yeah, you betcha.” Donna reached back to hand you the binoculars.

Taking them, you looked out at the yard and instantly spotted Baby. “This is the place.”

Seeing her out there, alone, it broke your heart. Dean would never leave his car. _Ever._

Not needing anymore evidence to know if this was where you needed to be or not, you climbed out of the car. The two other women were right behind you, jumping out and heading for the back of the pickup. Donna handed out some guns before you all started for the shipyard.

You noticed a pathway by Baby that led to the large abandoned ship that was still in the water. No words were needed to be shared before you began following the path, knowing the others weren’t too far behind.

Entering the ship, you scanned the place for anything abnormal.

“There.” Jody gestured to a doorway on the next level.

From where you stood, you could see a bright glowing light coming from upstairs. The buzzing that came from the light was familiar…

Not thinking it through, you bolted.

“Y/N!” Jody called out for you.

You didn’t stop, though. You rushed up the stairs as fast as you could, taking two at a time. Reaching the next level, you followed the light and went up another level. Eventually you threw yourself around a corner, only to come to a stop when you saw it.

It looked exactly like the one Jack had stepped through when he found you.

As you stepped towards it, Donna hurried around the corner and grabbed the back of your jacket. “What are you doing?”

“Sam and Dean are in there.” You didn’t fight against her hold, but you didn’t look away from the portal either. “I need to go in there. I need to save them.”

“You _need_ to stay alive, for your daughter.”

At the mention of Dakota, you froze.

Donna seemed to notice and went on, “What are we supposed to say to your little girl if you get stuck over there? How are we supposed to tell her that, huh?”

Jody stepped in front of you, blocking your view of the glowing vertical crack floating in the air. “If things go bad, we need to make sure you’re on _this_ side of that portal, understood?”

You hesitated, not wanting to give in so easily. While you understood their logic, and you knew they were right, you couldn’t get passed the horrible feeling in your gut. That feeling that made you feel like a failure of a mother.

“She doesn’t even know he’s her father.”

“Then you should tell her.” Jody tilted her head to meet your gaze. “You should tell her _yourself_.”

The thought of leaving her without a dad and a mum… that’s what broke you. Putting yourself in danger was like second nature to you. Stepping into the role of a hunter was like stepping into yourself. With a gun in your hand, and a job to do, you felt more at home than you had in years.

But all of those things were from a life without Dakota. Being a hunter, saving the world, saving people and hunting things… you never had to worry about whether or not you made it out alive because there was never anyone you had to stay alive for. Now there was. No you had someone dependant on you, and that changed everything.

“Okay.” You nodded, relaxing, no longer on the edge of fighting against Donna’s hold to get to the portal. “Okay.”

Jody opened her mouth to respond but was cut off at the sound of something crashing down on the bottom level.

“Ah, ladies… I think we’ve got company,” Donna noted, letting your jacket go to get a better hold on her gun.

…

Moving through the ship carefully, with Jody taking the lead, you were just about to round the corner when you spotted not one but _two_ of the creatures. Acting quickly, the three of you ducked around the corner again, pressing yourselves against the wall.

“Jeez! Is that a... umm?” Donna asked.

“Yup,” Jody answered shortly.

The sound of the monsters moving had you all falling silent and going tense. You listened, waiting as they moved about. Eventually, however, you realised they weren’t heading your way but were moving to the next room over.

Looking to each other, the three of you made up your minds without a single word. You needed to get the hell out of there, and fast. Three measly guns weren’t going to be enough to keep you alive. You needed more weapons, and backup.

Dashing towards the exit, you all carefully made your way down to the bottom level. You could see the exit, practically smell the fresh air. It was so close…

A monster snarled behind you. Turning quickly, the three of you began to shoot. Pulling the trigger over and over, trying to stop the monster as it ran towards the three of you, you shrieked as a second jumped down from the second floor.

“Come on!” Jody grabbed your arm.

You tried pulling the trigger again, only to find you were out of bullets. “Shit.” Dropping your gun, you didn’t resist any longer and let Jody tug you away as you made a break for it.

**Bamby**


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Fluff. Violence. 
> 
> Bamby

The three of you had managed to sneak into a car on the ship. You were lying along the back seat with Jody, while Donna was in the front. It was a tight squeeze, but your choices were limited.

Outside, the monsters were snarling, searching for you all. Every time they moved towards the car they would hit it, causing the rust bucket to shake and creak. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying not to make a sound, and preying they would ease up and continue their search somewhere else so you could escape.

“If we make a run for the truck, we’re dead,” Donna noted, keeping her voice low.

“If we stay here we’re dead,” Jody countered.

“Alrighty then.”

Suddenly the car began to shake as one of the things jumped on the roof of the car.

Donna was quick to move, lifting her gun up to shoot at the ceiling. Unfortunately the drew the attention of another monster, who slammed itself against the door you were leaning on.

“Get down!” Jody yelled as she aimed her gun at the window above your head.

Before she could shoot, however, before she could shoot a bright glow came from above your head, along with heat against the door.

Turning, you managed to see the monster just before it ran off… on fire.

Climbing out of the car, confused, the three of you looked by the entrance of the ship and spotted Alex, Kaia and Claire- who was carrying a flamethrower.

“I called, you didn’t answer. We worried.” Claire shrugged.

“Where’s the other one?” Donna asked, adjusting her hold on her gun.

“It probably bolted,” Claire noted. Looking you up and down, she reached into the back of her pants and pulled out a gun, here.

Reaching out, you took the gun with a short nod. “Thanks.”

As Claire put the flame thrower down her attention was caught by the buzzing from the portal upstairs. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted the glowing light. “Is that the door?”

“Claire,” Jody started, but before she could say anything else Claire was already running, with Kaia right behind her. “Claire! Claire, please wait! Oh hell.” Sighing, she followed her daughter.

As the others went to the portal, the rest of you stayed downstairs to deal with whatever might be still lingering.

The sound of one of the creatures screeching caught all of your attention then.

“Oh there he is.” Donna turned in the direction of the creature. “Hiya buddy.” Before she could take a shot, however, more monsters appeared.

You did a quick count and felt your stomach drop. “I’m seeing at least six, Donna.”

She nodded tightly. “Upstairs. Move.”

Not needing to be told twice, you and Alex started for the stairs and run up, knowing Donna wasn’t too far behind.

“Jody! A little help,” Donna called as she hurried up to the next level. “Jody!”

Making it to the top of the stairs, you and Alex waited until Donna passed before you reached for a heavy metal cabinet and pushed it down the stairs.

“Let’s go!” you called, hurrying further into the ship.

As you made it to an open room, Jody came around the corner and joined your little group. Claire and Kaia weren’t with her.

“They’re gone?” Donna asked.

The only answer she got was a small nod from Jody. As much as she didn’t want to let Claire go after the brothers, she knew her options were very limited. She did was she had to… but that didn’t make it any easier.

“Okay, anything gets in here we take it down,” Jody noted, aiming her gun at the only way in and out of the room.

Your hands shook as you did the same, raising your gun to get ready.

“Hey.” You looked to Donna who smiled at you. “You got this. We’re gonna be okay, and you’re gonna get back to your little girl.”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded, tightening your hold on your gun. “We’ve got this.”

Down the hall, you could hear the snarls of the monsters getting closer.

“Alright girls,” Jody looked to each of you, “let’s go to work.”

...

You weren’t sure how many of those things had charged into the room, but somehow you’d all managed to keep them at bay. Whether by killing them, or wounding them enough to scare them away, you’d all managed to fight them off.

A burst of bright light behind you, coming from the adjoining room, caught your attention. It drew your eyes from the only way in and out of the room you were in, and subsequently the next room.

“No!” Claire cried out.

Neither you or Jody hesitated before you ran to the next room. She needed to check on her daughter… you needed to see if she’d failed or succeeded.

Hurrying around the corner, you came to a stop a sudden stop.

Jody ran to her daughter as she lay on the floor, crying, reaching out towards the spot where the portal had been moments ago. Standing a few feets from them… were Sam and Dean.

“Oh thank God!” Without a second thought, and without wasting another moment, you ran towards Dean.

He was quick to react, catching you as you threw yourself at him. With your arms around his neck, and legs around his hips, you crashed your lips against his and cried.

Kissing you back, he held you close, snaking his arms around your waist to hold you against him. The moment was a little inappropriate considering everything else going on, but it was needed. You’d been so worried you were never going to see him again, now that you had him in your grasp you never wanted to let him go again.

“I love you,” you breathed against his lips. “God, I love you.”

Carding his fingers through your hair, he pulled you closer, deepening the kiss.

A second passed before he suddenly pulled back. “Dakota-”

“She’s okay,” Alex reassured him as she and Donna rounded the corner. “She’s with Patience.”

Dropping back down to the ground, you looked over at Jody as she held onto her sobbing child. It broke your heart to see Claire so hurt… but it reminded you that your own daughter needed you.

“We should go…”

Jody nodded, understanding. “We’ll meet you back at my place. We just…” Her eyes dropped to Claire. “We need a moment.”

As you offered her a sympathetic smile, you felt Dean slip his hand into yours. Looking up at him, you knew it was time to go. He needed to see Dakota just as much as you needed to see her.

…

Arriving back at Jody’s, you got to work cleaning up after the monsters. They’d thoroughly trashed the place, breaking a lot of her furniture.

Patience had did as you asked and had kept driving, but that meant it was going to take awhile before she got back into town. Dean was on edge, trying to help out but too worried about Dakota. It had been too long, he needed to make sure she was okay.

Jody and the others made it back before Patience. The sheriff thanked you for all the work you’d already done on her house, before the rest of them quickly joined you and the brothers.

When you heard the sound of another car pulling up outside, everything slowed.

Dean moved first, practically running out the front door. You and Sam weren’t too far behind, making it outside just in time to see the moment Dakota spotted him. What happened next shocked everyone.

“Daddy!” A wide smile spread across Dakota’s face before she sprinted across the lawn.

Getting to his knees, Dean opened his arms as she threw herself at him. He pulled her close, holding the back of her head to him as he buried his face in her neck and let out a relieved breath.

Your feet moved on their own, leading you to the two of them as they embraced.

Seeing you approaching, Dakota pulled back to smile up at you. “Are the monsters all gone?”

“For now, yeah.” You nodded. She looked so proud then… but there was just one thing you didn’t quite understand. “Dakota… what did you call Dean?”

Pausing, she looked down sheepishly as she shrugged. “Daddy…”

“How-”

“I wasn’t asleep in the car, Mummy. I heard what you told Aunt Jody.”

Your heart swelled. Not only did she see the Winchesters as family, and the bunker as home, but everything else was falling into place, too.

“Can we go home, now?” she asked, looking down at Dean. “We still need to eat pie and talk about my day at school.”

He chuckled, nodding. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

**Bamby**


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is it, guys. The last chapter. The epilogue. The end of an era… kinda. I do plan on writing up a second part once I work through the dozens of other things I need to do. So yay for that, but unfortunately the end does mean a shorter chapter… sorry about that. Still, hope you enjoy!! :):)
> 
> Warnings: Explicit language. Angst. Fluff. Smut. Fingering. Unprotected sex.
> 
> Bamby

Crawling into Dean’s bed, you smiled as he opened his arm for you. Snuggling into his side, you found comfort in his touch and smell.

“I missed this,” he hummed, leaning in to kiss your forehead.

You nodded against him. “Me too.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to just leave you like that. But Jack had a lead on Mum and I couldn’t-”

“It’s okay,” you assured him. “I was scared, and worried, obviously… but you’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

Turning onto his side, he looked down at you, reaching out to tuck some hair behind your ear. “I thought about you and Dakota every second I was over in that place. Knew I had to get back to you.”

“And you did.” You rested your hand over his. “Don’t worry yourself over it. Things are okay.”

“Well, Mum and Jack are still missing. Asmodeus is out there. Ketch too, for that matter.”

“Okay, okay, okay. I get it,” you sighed. “Things are far from okay… but they’re better. And they will be okay. We’re gonna get through this. You, me, Sam, all of us together.”

His lips turned up into a smile. “You and me… I like the sound of that.”

You’re cheeks flushed with heat as you blushed, averting your eyes. “You’re such a sap.”

“You’re a sap.”

Rolling your eyes, you shoved his shoulder to push him onto his back. The plan backfired when he pulled you along. Now straddling him, you pressed your hands to his chest as his hands came to rest on his hips.

“Did you mean it?” he asked.

Your brows furrowed. “Mean what?”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes,” you answered without skipping a beat. “I love you.”

Reaching up, he grabbed the back of your head and brought you down to his lips. The kiss was deep and passionate right away, quickly leading your bodies to move. His hand fell back to your hip, and his grip tightened. Grinding against him, moaning into the kiss, you felt him harden underneath you.

“Missed you,” he grunted against your lips. “Need you.”

Nodding, you pulled away from his lips to meet his gaze. “Want you.”

Flipping the two of you over, he was quick to slip your pyjama shorts and panties down your legs. Spreading your thighs and throwing your head back, you moaned as he stroked your slit.

“You’re wet.” Licking his lips, he watched himself as two fingers dipped into you.

“Quit teasing,” you groaned.

Chuckling, he dragged his eyes up to yours. “Gotta get you ready, baby.”

“Fuck that, just fuck me.”

“So bossy.” Pulling his fingers out, he quickly removed his briefs.

As his cock sprung free he grasped it and lined it up with your slit. Pushing in, he went slowly, savouring the feel of that first thrust.

“God.” Head dropping to your shoulder, he groaned. “Feel so perfect. You. You’re perfect.” He pressed a kiss to your neck. “I’m not fucking you,” he told you as he pulled out just as slowly as he pushed in.

“Dean-”

“I’m gonna make love to you,” he corrected, thrusting back into you.

Moaning, you arched against the mattress as he began a steady pace. Sliding your hands up his arms, you wrapped your arms around his neck and held him close as your bodies moved together.

True to his word, Dean made love to you. The way his body moved with yours invoked feelings of pleasure, and sensations that you hadn’t felt in forever. This wasn’t about chasing an orgasm, or about reconnecting after years of separation. This was about being together and staying together.

Nothing outside of the room existed in that moment. Passed the sounds of your breaths, grunts, and moans, or the beat of your thrusts, hips slapping together with every push. All you could feel was his weight on your, and the push and pull, the heat of his skin and yours.

He came first, and in an instant you could feel his disappointment. Through his pleasure he realised he’d come too early. But as he spilled inside you, you felt him thrust in deep once more, and that’s all it took for you to fall apart.

Pulling him closer, you cried into his neck as your body shook through your orgasm. He held you, rocking gently to drag the moment out.

When you were both done, he dropped to the bed beside you with a sigh. Reaching out, he pulled you to his chest, holding you close once more.

“I’m gonna enjoy getting use to this.”

Humming contently, you nodded against him. “Me too.”

“You’re right. Things are gonna get better. We’re gonna make sure they do, together. We’re gonna find a way to bring Mum and Jack back. We’re gonna deal with Asmodeus and Ketch once and for all. And then we’re gonna make a home for our daughter. We’re gonna be the family she deserves.”

Honestly… nothing sounded more heavenly than that. After years of doubt, and lies, and pretending,  _ finally _ things were falling into place.

**The End...**

**Bamby**


End file.
